78R3685 AJA-D

By:  Pitts                                                        H.B. No. 1312



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the liability of a chiropractor who voluntarily 
provides health care services.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 84.003(5), Civil Practice and Remedies 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
		(5)  "Volunteer health care provider" means an 
individual who voluntarily provides health care services without 
compensation or expectation of compensation and who is:
			(A)  an individual who is licensed to practice 
medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
			(B)  a retired physician who is eligible to 
provide health care services, including a retired physician who is 
licensed but exempt from paying the required annual registration 
fee under Section 156.002, Occupations Code;
			(C)  a physician assistant licensed under Chapter 
204, Occupations Code, or a retired physician assistant who is 
eligible to provide health care services under the law of this 
state;
			(D)  a registered nurse, including an advanced 
nurse practitioner, licensed under Chapter 301, Occupations Code, 
or a retired registered nurse, including a retired advanced nurse 
practitioner, who is eligible to provide health care services under 
the law of this state;
			(E)  a licensed vocational nurse licensed under 
Chapter 302, Occupations Code, or a retired licensed vocational 
nurse who is eligible to provide health care services under the law 
of this state;
			(F)  a pharmacist licensed under Subtitle J, Title 
3, Occupations Code, or a retired pharmacist who is eligible to 
provide health care services under the law of this state;
			(G)  a podiatrist licensed under Chapter 202, 
Occupations Code, or a retired podiatrist who is eligible to 
provide health care services under the law of this state;
			(H)  a dentist licensed under Subtitle D, Title 3, 
Occupations Code, or a retired dentist who is eligible to provide 
health care services under the law of this state;
			(I)  a dental hygienist licensed under Subtitle D, 
Title 3, Occupations Code, or a retired dental hygienist who is 
eligible to provide health care services under the law of this 
state;  [or]
			(J)  an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist 
licensed under Chapter 351, Occupations Code, or a retired 
optometrist or therapeutic optometrist who is eligible to provide 
health care services under the law of this state; or
			(K)  a chiropractor licensed under Chapter 201, 
Occupations Code, or a retired chiropractor who is eligible to 
provide health care services under the law of this state.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after that 
date.  An action that accrued before the effective date of this Act 
is governed by the law in effect when the action accrued, and the 
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.