SRC-AMY, VRA S.B. 1574 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1574 By: Carona State Affairs 4/3/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Under current law, the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (TWCC) is required to work with both the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (TSBME) and the Texas State Board of Chiropractic Examiners (TSBCE) to regulate certain health care providers. These barriers, however, prevent agencies from sharing information about ongoing investigations. As proposed, S.B. 1574 provides confidentiality protections for TWCC, TSBME, and TSBCE in order for each of them to exchange information relating to ongoing investigations. 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 413.0511, Labor Code, by amending Subsection (b-6) to make a conforming change. Deletes current text relating to disciplinary actions imposed on certain individuals. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 413, Subchapter E, Labor Code, by adding Section 413.0514, as follows: Sec. 413.0514. INFORMATION SHARING WITH OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS. (a) Provides that this section applies only to information held by or for the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission (TWCC), the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners (TSBME), and Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners that relates to a person who is licensed or otherwise regulated by any of those state agencies. (b) Authorizes each of the agencies listed in Subsection (a), on request or on its own initiative, to share confidential information or information to which access is otherwise restricted by law with one or more of the other agencies listed in Subsection (a) for investigative or enforcement purposes. Provides that except as provided by this section, confidential information that is shared under this section remains confidential under law and legal restrictions on access to the information remain in effect. (c) Requires a state agency that receives shared information under this section to keep the information secure and limit access to the information within the agency to agency personnel who need access for investigative purposes and authorizes the agency to disclose the information only to certain entities. SECTION 3. Amends Section 160.006(a), Occupations Code, to add TWCC to the list of entities to which TSBME is authorized to disclose information. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.