By Edwards                                            H.B. No. 1651
         77R4376 JMM-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the authority of optometrists and therapeutic
 1-3     optometrists to form certain professional associations.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 2(A), Texas Professional Association Act
 1-6     (Article 1528f, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
 1-7     as follows:
 1-8           (A)  Formation.  Any one or more persons duly licensed to
 1-9     practice a profession, including podiatry, [or] dentistry, or
1-10     optometry or therapeutic optometry, under the laws of this state
1-11     may, by complying with this Act, form a professional association,
1-12     as distinguished from either a partnership or a corporation, by
1-13     associating themselves for the purpose of performing professional
1-14     services and dividing the gains therefrom as stated in articles of
1-15     association or bylaws.
1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-17     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-18     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-19     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-20     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.