SRC-JEC C.S.S.B. 692 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 692 77R9614 SMH-FBy: Lindsay Health & Human Services 3/22/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (board) is required to develop a process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses. C.S.S.B. 692 authorizes the board to authorize license holder peer organizations in Texas to evaluate and approve continuing education courses in accordance with the board's process. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners in SECTION 1 (Section 454.254, Occupations Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 454.254, Occupations Code, by adding Subsection (d) to authorize the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (board), in adopting rules under Subsection (a)(3), to authorize license holder peer organizations in this state to evaluate and approve continuing education courses in accordance with the board's evaluation and approval process. Prohibits the board from adopting rules implementing this subsection after January 1, 2003. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES Differs from the original by authorizing, rather than requiring, the board to authorize the license holder peer organizations to evaluate and approve the courses. Prohibits the board from adopting the rules after January 1, 2003, rather than January 1, 2002. Inserts the prohibition at the end of SECTION 1, rather than placing it in a separate SECTION 2. Redesignates previously proposed SECTION 3 (the effective date) as SECTION 2.