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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the practice of podiatry. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 202.001(a)(4), Occupations Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(4) "Podiatry" means the treatment of or offer to |
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treat any disease, disorder, physical injury, deformity, or ailment |
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of the human foot and ankle by any system or method. The term |
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includes podiatric medicine. |
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SECTION 2. Section 202.253(a), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board may refuse to admit a person to an |
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examination, and may refuse to issue a license to practice podiatry |
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to a person, for: |
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(1) presenting to the board a license, certificate, or |
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diploma that was illegally or fraudulently obtained or engaging in |
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fraud or deception in passing the examination; |
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(2) being convicted of: |
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(A) a felony; |
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(B) a crime that involves moral turpitude; or |
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(C) an offense under Section 202.606; |
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(3) engaging in habits of intemperance or drug |
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addiction that in the board's opinion would endanger the health, |
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well-being, or welfare of patients; |
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(4) engaging in grossly unprofessional or |
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dishonorable conduct of a character that in the board's opinion is |
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likely to deceive or defraud the public; |
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(5) directly or indirectly violating or attempting to |
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violate this chapter or a rule adopted under this chapter as a |
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principal, accessory, or accomplice; |
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(6) using any advertising statement of a character |
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tending to mislead or deceive the public; |
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(7) advertising professional superiority or the |
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performance of professional service in a superior manner; |
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(8) purchasing, selling, bartering, or using or |
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offering to purchase, sell, barter, or use a podiatry degree, |
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license, certificate, diploma, or a transcript of a license, |
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certificate, or diploma, in or incident to an application to the |
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board for a license to practice podiatry; |
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(9) altering, with fraudulent intent, a podiatry |
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license, certificate, diploma, or a transcript of a podiatry |
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license, certificate, or diploma; |
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(10) using a podiatry license, certificate, or |
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diploma, or a transcript of a podiatry license, certificate, or |
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diploma, that has been fraudulently purchased, issued, |
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counterfeited, or materially altered; |
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(11) impersonating, or acting as proxy for, another |
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person in a podiatry license examination; |
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(12) impersonating a license holder, or permitting |
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another person to use the license holder's license to practice |
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podiatry in this state, to treat or offer to treat, by any method, |
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conditions and ailments of human feet and ankles; |
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(13) directly or indirectly employing a person whose |
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license to practice podiatry has been suspended or associating in |
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the practice of podiatry with a person whose license to practice |
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podiatry has been suspended or who has been convicted of the |
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unlawful practice of podiatry in this state or elsewhere; |
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(14) wilfully making in the application for a license |
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to practice podiatry a material misrepresentation or material |
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untrue statement; |
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(15) being unable to practice podiatry with reasonable |
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skill and safety to a patient because of age, illness, drunkenness, |
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or excessive use of drugs, narcotics, chemicals, or other |
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substances or as a result of a mental or physical condition; |
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(16) failing to practice podiatry in an acceptable |
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manner consistent with public health and welfare; |
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(17) being removed, suspended, or disciplined in |
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another manner by the podiatrist's peers in a professional podiatry |
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association or society, whether local, regional, state, or national |
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in scope, or being disciplined by a licensed hospital or the medical |
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staff of a hospital, including removal, suspension, limitation of |
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hospital privileges, or other disciplinary action, if the board |
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determines that the action was: |
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(A) based on unprofessional conduct or |
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professional incompetence likely to harm the public; and |
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(B) appropriate and reasonably supported by |
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evidence submitted to the association, society, hospital, or |
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medical staff; or |
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(18) having repeated or recurring meritorious health |
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care liability claims filed against the podiatrist that in the |
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board's opinion are evidence of professional incompetence likely to |
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injure the public. |
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SECTION 3. Section 202.254(d), Occupations Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(d) The examination must cover the subjects of anatomy, |
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chemistry, dermatology, diagnosis, pharmacology, pathology, |
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physiology, microbiology, orthopedics, and podiatry, as related to |
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ailments of the human foot and ankle. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |