By:  McReynolds (Senate Sponsor - Madla)                          H.B. No. 861
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 2003; 
April 15, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 
and Human Services; May 7, 2003, reported favorably by the 
following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 7, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the qualifications of a volunteer emergency care 
attendant.   
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 773.046, Health and Safety Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 773.046.  EMERGENCY CARE ATTENDANT QUALIFICATIONS. (a)
An individual qualifies as an emergency care attendant if the 
individual is certified by the department as minimally proficient 
to provide emergency prehospital care by providing initial aid that 
promotes comfort and avoids aggravation of an injury or illness.
	(b)  The department may not require an individual to have a 
high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate for 
certification as an emergency care attendant under this chapter if 
the individual certifies that the individual will serve only as an 
emergency care attendant volunteer during the certification 
period.
	(c)  The board shall adopt rules as necessary to administer 
this section.
	SECTION 2.  The Texas Board of Health shall adopt the rules 
necessary under Section 773.046, Health and Safety Code, as amended 
by this Act, not later than January 1, 2004.
	SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act to Section 
773.046, Health and Safety Code, applies only to an individual who 
files an application for certification as an emergency care 
attendant volunteer on or after January 1, 2004.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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