By:  Nelson                                            S.B. No. 556
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to referrals to occupational therapists.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 27, Occupational Therapy Practice Act
 1-4     (Article 8851, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
 1-5     as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 27.  PRACTITIONER'S [PHYSICIAN'S] REFERRAL.  An
 1-7     occupational therapist may enter a case for the purposes of
 1-8     providing consultation and monitored services and evaluating an
 1-9     individual for the need of services.  Implementation of direct
1-10     occupational therapy to individuals for their specific health care
1-11     [medical] conditions shall be based on a referral from a physician
1-12     licensed by a state board of medical examiners, a dentist licensed
1-13     by a state board of dental examiners, a chiropractor licensed by a
1-14     state board of chiropractic examiners, a podiatrist licensed by a
1-15     state board of podiatric medical examiners, or any other qualified,
1-16     licensed health care professional who within the scope of the
1-17     professional's licensure is authorized to refer for health care
1-18     services.  The professional taking an action under this section is
1-19     a referring practitioner [to practice in the State of Texas].
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.