By: Nelson  S.B. No. 227
         (In the Senate - Filed November 18, 2010; January 31, 2011,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
  Services; March 7, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0, 1 present not voting; March 7, 2011, sent to
  printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the nondisciplinary resolution of certain complaints
  filed against physicians.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 164, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 164.0015 to read as follows:
         Sec. 164.0015. REMEDIAL PLAN. (a)  In addition to the
  authority under Sections 164.001 and 164.002, the board may issue
  and establish the terms of a remedial plan to resolve the
  investigation of a complaint relating to this subtitle.
         (b)  A remedial plan may not contain a provision that:
               (1)  revokes, suspends, limits, or restricts a person's
  license or other authorization to practice medicine; or
               (2)  assesses an administrative penalty against a
  person.
         (c)  A remedial plan may not be imposed to resolve a
  complaint:
               (1)  concerning:
                     (A)  a patient death;
                     (B)  the commission of a felony; or
                     (C)  a matter in which the physician engaged in
  inappropriate sexual behavior or contact with a patient or became
  financially or personally involved with a patient in an
  inappropriate manner; or
               (2)  in which the appropriate resolution may involve a
  restriction on the manner in which a license holder practices
  medicine.
         (d)  The board may not issue a remedial plan to resolve a
  complaint against a license holder if the license holder has
  previously entered into a remedial plan with the board for the
  resolution of a different complaint relating to this subtitle.
         (e)  The board may assess a fee against a license holder
  participating in a remedial plan in an amount necessary to recover
  the costs of administering the plan.
         (f)  The board shall adopt rules necessary to implement this
  section.
         SECTION 2.  Subsections (c) and (d), Section 164.002,
  Occupations Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (c)  An agreed disposition is a disciplinary order for
  purposes of reporting under this subtitle and of administrative
  hearings and proceedings by state and federal regulatory agencies
  regarding the practice of medicine. An agreed disposition or a
  remedial plan under Section 164.0015 is public information.
         (d)  In civil litigation, an agreed disposition or a remedial
  plan under Section 164.0015 is a settlement agreement under Rule
  408, Texas Rules of Evidence. This subsection does not apply to a
  license holder who has previously entered into an agreed
  disposition with the board of a different disciplinary matter or
  whose license the board is seeking to revoke.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  The Texas Medical Board shall adopt rules
  under Section 164.0015, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not
  later than January 1, 2012.
         (b)  Section 164.0015, Occupations Code, as added by this
  Act, applies only to a complaint under Subtitle B, Title 3,
  Occupations Code, filed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  A complaint under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code, filed
  before that date is governed by the law in effect on the date the
  complaint was filed, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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