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79R1715 MXM-D

By:  Solis                                                        H.B. No. 683



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to allowing the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant 
Examiners to hold telephonic hearings.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is 
amended by adding Section 204.105 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.105.  TELEPHONIC HEARINGS.  (a)  As an exception to 
Chapter 551 and other law, if the presiding officer of the physician 
assistant board is physically present at a meeting, then any number 
of the other members of the board may attend a meeting of the board 
by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or 
other similar telecommunication device.  This subsection applies 
for purposes of constituting a quorum, for purposes of voting, and 
for any other purpose allowing a board member to otherwise fully 
participate in any board meeting.  This subsection applies without 
exception with regard to the subject of the meeting or topics 
considered by the members.
	(b)  A meeting held by use of telephone conference call, 
video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device:
		(1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable 
to other meetings;
		(2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the 
location of the meeting at which the presiding officer will be 
physically present;
		(3)  must be open to the public and audible to the 
public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the 
location of the meeting at which the presiding officer will be 
physically present; and
		(4)  must provide two-way audio communication between 
all physician assistant board members attending the meeting during 
the entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link 
with any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the 
meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link 
is reestablished.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to a meeting of the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant 
Examiners that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  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, 2005.