By Dukes                                              H.B. No. 1577
         77R5393 KSD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to medical dispute resolution in certain workers'
 1-3     compensation cases.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 413.031, Labor Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subsection (e) to read as follows:
 1-7           (e)  In a review of a medical service under this section, a
 1-8     doctor may not offer an opinion regarding whether the medical
 1-9     service is reasonable and necessary unless the doctor has examined
1-10     the injured employee within the 12 months preceding the date of
1-11     offering the opinion.
1-12           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and
1-13     applies only to a review of a medical service under Section
1-14     413.031, Labor Code, provided on or after that date.  A review
1-15     provided before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
1-16     law in effect on the date that the review is provided, and the
1-17     former law is continued in effect for that purpose.