1-1     By:  Lindsay                                          S.B. No. 1347
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1999; March 15, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health Services;
 1-4     April 28, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 5,
 1-5     Nays 0; April 28, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the evaluation and approval of continuing education for
 1-9     physical therapists.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 16A, Chapter 836, Acts of the 62nd
1-12     Legislature, Regular Session, 1971 (Article 4512e, Vernon's Texas
1-13     Civil Statutes) is amended to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 16A.  MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION.  (a)  The board by
1-15     rule shall adopt requirements for mandatory continuing education
1-16     for licensees under this Act in subjects pertaining to the practice
1-17     of physical therapy.  The board by rule shall establish a minimum
1-18     number of hours of continuing education required to renew a
1-19     license.  The board may assess the continuing education needs of
1-20     licensees and may require licensees to attend continuing education
1-21     courses specified by the board.  The board by rule shall develop a
1-22     process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses and
1-23     shall authorize licensee peer organizations to evaluate and approve
1-24     such courses in accordance with the established process.
1-25           (b)  The board shall identify the key factors for the
1-26     competent performance by a licensee of the licensee's professional
1-27     duties.  The board shall adopt a procedure to assess a licensee's
1-28     participation and performance in continuing education programs.
1-29           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-30     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-31     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-32     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-33     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-34     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-35     passage, and it is so enacted.
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