Amend HB 2648 by striking all below the enacting clause and substituting the following: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 773.014 to read as follows: Sec. 773.014. ADMINISTRATION OF EPINEPHRINE. (a) An emergency medical services provider and a first responder organization may acquire and possess epinephrine auto-injector devices in accordance with this section. Emergency medical services personnel certified as emergency medical technicians or at a higher level of training may carry and administer epinephrine auto-injector devices in accordance with this section. (b) The department shall adopt rules designed to protect the public health and safety to implement this section. The rules must provide that emergency medical services personnel certified as emergency medical technicians or at a higher level of training may administer an epinephrine auto-injector device to another only if the person has successfully completed a training course, approved by the department, in the use of the device that is consistent with the national standard training curriculum for emergency medical technicians. (c) An emergency medical services provider or first responder organization may acquire, possess, maintain, and dispose of epinephrine auto-injector devices, and emergency medical services personnel certified as emergency medical technicians or at a higher level of training may carry, maintain, administer, and dispose of epinephrine auto-injector devices, only in accordance with: (1) rules adopted by the department under this section; and (2) a delegated practice agreement that provides for medical supervision by a licensed physician who either: (A) acts as a medical director for an emergency medical services system or a licensed hospital; or (B) has knowledge and experience in the delivery of emergency care. (d) Emergency medical services personnel who administer epinephrine auto-injector devices to others shall immediately report the use to the physician supervising the activities of the emergency medical services personnel. (e) The administration of an epinephrine auto-injector device to another under this section is considered to be the administration of emergency care for the purposes of any statute relating to liability for the provision of emergency care. The administration of an epinephrine auto-injector device to another in accordance with the requirements of this section does not constitute the unlawful practice of any health care profession. (f) A person otherwise authorized to sell or provide an epinephrine auto-injector device to another may sell or provide the devices to an emergency medical services provider or a first responder organization authorized to acquire and possess the devices under this section. (g) This section does not prevent emergency medical services personnel who are also licensed health care professionals under another health care licensing law and who are authorized to acquire, possess, and administer an epinephrine auto-injector device under the other health care licensing law from acting under the other law. (h) This section does not impose a standard of care not otherwise required by law. SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect January 1, 2002, except that this Act takes effect September 1, 2001, for the limited purpose of allowing the Texas Department of Health to adopt rules under Section 773.014, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, that may take effect before January 1, 2002. (b) Before January 1, 2002, epinephrine auto-injector devices may be carried and administered by certain emergency medical services personnel to the extent allowed under the law that exists before September 1, 2001.