SRC-TJG, LBB S.B. 208 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 208
78R3115 SMH-DBy: Harris
Health and Human Services
2/17/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (board) maintains a
detailed profile of all physicians licensed by the board, which is
available to the public on-line.  The profiles include any formal
complaint against the physician.  As proposed, S.B. 208 would limit
information on a physician's public profile to fully heard and final
disciplinary actions taken by the board. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 154.006(b) and (e), Occupations Code, as
follows: 

(b)  Deletes from the list of required information to be included in the
contents of physician profiles, a description of any conviction for a
felony, a Class A or Class B misdemeanor, a Class C misdemeanor involving
moral turpitude, a description of any charges reported to the Texas State
Board of Medical Examiners (board) to which the physician has pleaded no
contest, for which the physician is the subject of deferred adjudication
or pretrial diversion, or in which sufficient facts of guilt were found
and the matter was continued by a court, during the 10- year period
preceding the date of the profile. Deletes requirement for a description
of the final resolution taken by the board on medical malpractice claims
or complaints required to be opened by the board and description of any
formal complaint against the physician initiated and filed under Section
164.005 (Initiation of Charges; Formal Complaint) and the status of the
complaint. 
          
Adds to the list of required information a description of any final
disciplinary action taken by the board against the physician, including
any final disciplinary action on medical malpractice claims or complaints
required to be reviewed by the board under Section 164.201 (Review by
Board if Three or More Malpractice Claims) and any final public
disciplinary action against the physician by a medical licensing board of
another state during the 10-year period preceding the date of the profile.
Makes conforming changes. 

 (e)  Makes a conforming change.


SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.