H.B. 1141 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 1141
By: Riddle
Law Enforcement
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, only physicians, qualified technicians, chemists,
registered nurses, or licensed vocational nurses are authorized to draw a
blood sample for a DWI investigation.  This requires transporting the
individual to a hospital, costing both time and money.  House Bill 1141
permits certified emergency medical technician-intermediates and emergency
medical technician-paramedics to draw blood at the scene of an accident. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1141 amends Section 724.017, Transportation Code, to add a
licensed or certified emergency medical technician-intermediate or
emergency medical technician-paramedic to the list of personnel authorized
to take a blood specimen at the request or order of a peace officer and
removes chemist from the same list.  The bill also adds language providing
that the blood specimen must be taken according to recognized medical
procedures in place of the language requiring the procedure to be done in
a sanitary place.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003.