By Nelson                                             S.B. No. 1477
         77R9064 YDB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to human organ donation education and distribution.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Chapter 46, Health and Safety Code, as added by
 1-5     Chapter 1516, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
 1-6     is amended by adding Section 46.002 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 46.002.  EDUCATION FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND
 1-8     ATTORNEYS.  (a)  The department shall develop a program to educate
 1-9     health care providers and attorneys about anatomical gifts.
1-10           (b)  The program shall encourage attorneys to provide clients
1-11     seeking legal advice for end-of-life decisions with information
1-12     related to organ donation.
1-13           (c)  The department shall encourage medical schools and
1-14     nursing schools to include mandatory education relating to organ
1-15     donation in the schools' curriculums.
1-16           (d)  The department shall encourage medical schools and
1-17     hospitals in this state to require each resident in neurology or
1-18     neurosurgery to complete an advanced course in organ donor
1-19     education.
1-20           SECTION 2. Section 692.0145, Health and Safety Code, is
1-21     amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
1-22           (c)  The Texas Department of Health shall adopt rules to
1-23     ensure that at least 20 percent of vascular organs received and
1-24     distributed by a qualified organ procurement organization are
 2-1     distributed for transplantation to individuals who have been on a
 2-2     waiting list for the longest period for a transplantation at a
 2-3     transplant center in this state.
 2-4           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.