By: Nelson  S.B. No. 292
         (In the Senate - Filed November 12, 2008; February 11, 2009,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
  Services; March 2, 2009, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 2, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the requirement that licensed physicians provide
  emergency contact information to the Texas Medical Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 156, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 156.006 to read as follows:
         Sec. 156.006.  EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION.  (a)  Each
  license holder shall submit to the board telephone numbers, fax
  numbers, and e-mail addresses, if available and as appropriate,
  that the board may use to contact the license holder in an
  emergency.
         (b)  A license holder who receives an initial registration
  permit shall provide the information required under Subsection (a)
  not later than the 30th day after the date the permit is issued.  
  Each license holder who applies to renew a registration permit
  shall submit the information required under Subsection (a) with the
  renewal application.
         (c)  A license holder shall report to the board any change in
  the information required under Subsection (a) not later than the
  45th day after the date of the change.
         (d)  The information provided by a license holder under this
  section is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
  Chapter 552, Government Code.  The board may not publish, release,
  or make available information provided by a license holder under
  this section except as provided by Subsection (e).
         (e)  In the event of a public health emergency declared or
  invoked by the governor, the Department of State Health Services,
  or a federal agency, the board may publish, release, or make
  available information provided by a license holder under this
  section for the sole purpose of disseminating information to:
               (1)  a license holder;
               (2)  a designated city, county, state, or federal
  public health or emergency management official; or
               (3)  the Federation of State Medical Boards.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2009, each person who
  holds a license to practice medicine under Chapter 155, Occupations
  Code, shall make the initial submission to the Texas Medical Board
  of the information required by Subsection (a), Section 156.006,
  Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
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