1-1     By:  Farabee (Senate Sponsor - Madla)                 H.B. No. 3421
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2001;
 1-3     April 30, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
 1-4     and Human Services; May 7, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable
 1-5     Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0;
 1-6     May 7, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3421                   By:  Madla
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the licensure of physician assistants.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 204.155(b), Occupations Code, is amended
1-13     to read as follows:
1-14           (b)  A temporary license may be [is] valid for not more than
1-15     one year [100 days] after the date issued as determined by board
1-16     rule [and may be extended for not more than an additional 30 days
1-17     after the expiration date of the initial temporary license].
1-18           SECTION 2.  Subchapter G, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
1-19     amended by adding Sections 204.310 and 204.311 to read as follows:
1-20           Sec. 204.310.  REQUIRED SUSPENSION OF LICENSE OF INCARCERATED
1-21     PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT.  Regardless of the offense, the physician
1-22     assistant board shall suspend the license of a physician assistant
1-23     serving a prison term in a state or federal penitentiary during the
1-24     term of the incarceration.
1-25           Sec. 204.311.  TEMPORARY SUSPENSION.  (a)  The presiding
1-26     officer of the physician assistant board, with board approval,
1-27     shall appoint a three-member disciplinary panel consisting of board
1-28     members to determine whether a person's license to practice as a
1-29     physician assistant should be temporarily suspended.
1-30           (b)  If the disciplinary panel determines from the evidence
1-31     or information presented to the panel that a person licensed to
1-32     practice as a physician assistant would, by the person's
1-33     continuation in practice, constitute a continuing threat to the
1-34     public welfare, the disciplinary panel shall temporarily suspend
1-35     the license of that person.
1-36           (c)  A license may be suspended under this section without
1-37     notice or hearing on the complaint if:
1-38                 (1)  institution of proceedings for a hearing before
1-39     the physician assistant board is initiated simultaneously with the
1-40     temporary suspension; and
1-41                 (2)  a hearing is held under Chapter 2001, Government
1-42     Code, and this chapter as soon as possible.
1-43           (d)  Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, the
1-44     disciplinary panel may hold a meeting by telephone conference call
1-45     if immediate action is required and convening of the panel at one
1-46     location is inconvenient for any member of the disciplinary panel.
1-47           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-48                                  * * * * *