1-1     By:  Kolkhorst (Senate Sponsor - Ogden)               H.B. No. 2475
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 2, 2001;
 1-3     May 3, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on State
 1-4     Affairs; May 10, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-5     Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 10, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to eligibility for a special license issued by the State
 1-9     Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1. Section 801.256, Occupations Code, is amended by
1-12     amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
1-13     follows:
1-14           (b)  An applicant is eligible for a special license if:
1-15                 (1)  the applicant:
1-16                       (A)  is[:]
1-17                       [(A)]  at least 21 years of age[;]  and
1-18                       [(B)]  a graduate of a board-approved veterinary
1-19     medicine program at an institution of higher education; or
1-20                       (B)  provides to the board a written affirmation
1-21     by a person described under Subsection (f) that the applicant meets
1-22     a critical need for staffing at the person's institution and is
1-23     certified by a nationally recognized veterinary speciality board or
1-24     is eligible for that certification;  and
1-25                 (2)  the applicant passes the jurisprudence section of
1-26     the licensing examination.
1-27           (f)  The following people may provide a statement under
1-28     Subsection (b)(1)(B):
1-29                 (1)  the dean of a board-approved veterinary medicine
1-30     program at an institution of higher education in this state;
1-31                 (2)  the executive director of the Texas Animal Health
1-32     Commission; or
1-33                 (3)  the executive director of the Texas Veterinary
1-34     Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.
1-35           SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a license application
1-36     under Chapter 801, Occupations Code, that is filed on or after the
1-37     effective date of this Act. An application filed before the
1-38     effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
1-39     immediately before the effective date of this Act.
1-40           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-41     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-42     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-43     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-44     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-45                                  * * * * *