By:  Cook of Colorado (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)               H.B. No. 3213
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2003; 
May 7, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural 
Resources; May 16, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:  
Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 16, 2003, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of veterinarians to form a professional association. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 2(A), Texas Professional Association Act (Article 1528f, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows: (A) Formation. Any one or more persons duly licensed to practice a profession, including podiatry, dentistry, [or] optometry, [or] therapeutic optometry, [or] chiropractic, or veterinary medicine, under the laws of this state may, by complying with this Act, form a professional association, as distinguished from either a partnership or a corporation, by associating themselves for the purpose of performing professional services and dividing the gains therefrom as stated in articles of association or bylaws. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
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