C.S.H.B. 1694 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1694 By: Chavez Public Health Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, training in the field of geriatrics is not a prerequisite for medical school graduation. However, with a growing population of elderly patients, geriatric training is appropriate for those health care practitioners who, in the normal course of their professional practice, provide health care to elderly persons. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill expressly grants additional rulemaking authority to a state regulatory agency in SECTION 1 (Section 107.002(b)(1), Occupations Code). ANALYSIS Section 1 amends Subtitle A, Title 3, Occupations Code by adding Chapter 107 which requires each state regulatory agency that licenses health care practitioners who, in the normal course of their professional practice, provide health care services to elderly persons to require its license holders to complete training in gerontology as a precondition for obtaining or renewing a license. State regulatory agencies affected by this section shall adopt rules regarding the required gerontology training and inform its license holders of the requirements. The Act takes effect September 1, 2003. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE CSHB 1694 deletes Section 107.003 and Section 107.004. Section 107.003 included language relating to the requirements that a health care practitioner may use to satisfy the required gerontology training requirement in Section 107.002. Section 107.004 provided that any health care practitioner who did not comply with the requirements adopted by the state regulatory agency constitutes grounds for disciplinary action by the agency against the practitioner in the manner provided under the chapter under which the practitioner is licensed.