78R3625 YDB-D

By:  Crownover                                                    H.B. No. 581



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the medication or drug testing of racing animals under 
the Texas Racing Act.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 3.07(d), Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, 
Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
	(d)  Medication or drug testing performed on a race animal 
under this Act shall be conducted by the Texas Veterinary Medical 
Diagnostic Laboratory or by a laboratory operated by or in 
conjunction with or by a private or public agency selected by the 
commission after consultation with the [on a yearly basis by 
competitive bidding submitted to the commission for final approval.  
The commission's decision shall be based on cost and integrity.  
The]  Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory [may aid the 
commission in its selection]. Medication or drug testing performed 
on a human under this Act shall be conducted by a laboratory 
approved by the commission.  Charges for services performed under 
this section shall be forwarded to the commission for approval as to 
the reasonableness of the charges for the services.  Charges may 
include but are not limited to expenses incurred for travel, 
lodging, testing, and processing of test results.  The reasonable 
charges associated with medication or drug testing conducted under 
this Act shall be paid by the association that receives the 
services.  The commission shall adopt rules for the procedures for 
approving and paying laboratory charges under this section.  The 
commission shall determine whether the laboratory charges are [On 
the approval of the charges as] reasonable [,] in relation to 
industry standards by periodically surveying the drug testing 
charges of comparable laboratories in the United States.  The [for 
testing charges, the] commission shall forward a copy of the 
charges to the association that receives the services for immediate 
payment.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to medication or drug testing performed on a racing 
animal under the Texas Racing Act (Article 179e, Vernon's Texas 
Civil Statutes) on or after the effective date of this Act.