S.B. No. 328
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to notice of a hospital lien.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 55.005, Property Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d) through (g) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  To secure the lien, a hospital or emergency medical
  services provider must:
               (1)  provide notice to the injured individual in
  accordance with Subsection (d); and
               (2)  file written notice of the lien with the county
  clerk of the county in which the services were provided[. The
  notice must be filed] before money is paid to an entitled person
  because of the injury.
         (d)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), not later than the
  fifth business day after the date a hospital or emergency medical
  services provider receives notice from the county clerk that a
  notice of lien filed under Subsection (a)(2) has been recorded in
  the county records, the hospital or emergency medical services
  provider must send a written notice to the injured individual or the
  injured individual's legal representative, by regular mail, to the
  individual's last known address, informing the individual that:
               (1)  the lien will attach to any cause of action or
  claim the individual may have against another person for the
  individual's injuries; and
               (2)  the lien does not attach to real property owned by
  the individual.
         (e)  An emergency medical services provider is not required
  to provide notice by mail if the emergency medical services
  provider provides the notice required by Subsection (d) to the
  injured individual or the injured individual's representative at
  the time emergency medical services are provided and if:
               (1)  the required notice is included on the emergency
  medical services authorization form in a paper or electronic
  version in a separate paragraph that is bolded and in at least
  14-point type; and
               (2)  except as provided by Subsection (f), the notice
  is signed by the injured individual or the injured individual's
  representative.
         (f)  For the purposes of Subsection (e), if consent for
  emergency care of an individual is not required under Section
  773.008, Health and Safety Code, notice provided on an emergency
  medical services authorization form to the injured individual is
  not required to be signed.
         (g)  The failure of an individual to receive a notice mailed
  in accordance with Subsection (d) does not affect the validity of a
  lien under this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a lien for services provided to an injured individual on or after
  the effective date of this Act. A lien for services provided before
  the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
  immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 328 passed the Senate on
  March 17, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 328 passed the House on
  May 17, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 1, one
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor