BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 305
By: Barrientos
Transportation
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law authorizes physicians licensed in this state, but not
doctors of chiropractic, to complete requests for temporary handicapped
parking placards.  Many chiropractors treat patients with conditions that
affect ambulatory functioning; more than 90 percent of patients seek
chiropractic care because of muscular or skeletal problems of the neck,
thoracic, back, hip, pelvis, leg, knee, or ankle regions, for which
chiropractors find the need to restrict the distances their patients walk.
Requiring the patient to make an additional appointment for a physician to
fill out a request for a placard costs the patient money, time, and,
possibly, additional pain.  S.B. 305 authorizes chiropractors licensed in
Texas and adjacent states to complete requests for temporary handicapped
parking placards. 

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

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 502.253, Transportation Code, by amending
Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (j), as follows: 

(e) Makes conforming changes relating  to the addition of Subsection (j).

(j) Authorizes a person licensed to practice chiropractic in this state or
an adjacent state to issue the notarized written statement required in
Subsection (e), in a first application for registration under this section
by or on behalf of a person with a mobility problem that substantially
impairs the person's ability to ambulate. Establishes that in this
subsection "chiropractic" has the meaning used in Section 201.002,
Occupations Code. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 681.003, Transportation Code, by amending
Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f), as follows: 

(c) Makes conforming changes relating to the addition of Subsection (f).

(f) Authorizes a person licensed to practice chiropractic in this state or
an adjacent state to issue the notarized written statement required in
Subsection (e), in a first application for registration under this section
by or on behalf of a person with a mobility problem that substantially
impairs the person's ability to ambulate. Establishes that in this
subsection "chiropractic" has the meaning used in Section 201.002,
Occupations Code. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.