By: Harris, Ogden S.B. No. 468
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to licensing requirements for certain persons providing
1-2 abortion services.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 245.004, Health and Safety Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 245.004. EXEMPTIONS FROM LICENSING REQUIREMENT. The
1-7 following facilities need not be licensed under this chapter:
1-8 (1) a hospital licensed under Chapter 241 (Texas
1-9 Hospital Licensing Law); or
1-10 (2) the office of a physician licensed under the
1-11 Medical Practice Act (Article 4495b, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-12 Statutes), unless 300 or more abortion procedures are performed in
1-13 the office in a year [is used primarily for the purpose of
1-14 performing abortions].
1-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-16 SECTION 3. The office of a physician that is exempt from the
1-17 licensing requirement of Chapter 245, Health and Safety Code, under
1-18 Section 245.004, Health and Safety Code, as it existed immediately
1-19 before the effective date of this Act, but that is required to be
1-20 licensed under Section 245.004, Health and Safety Code, as amended
1-21 by this Act, is not required to be licensed before January 1, 2000.
1-22 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.