SRC-AMY S.B. 305 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 305 78R3802 JRJ-DBy: Barrientos Infrastructure Development and Security 2/27/2003 As Filed DIGEST 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. As proposed, S.B. 305 authorizes chiropractors licensed in Texas and adjacent states to complete requests for temporary handicapped parking placards. 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 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.