84R966 SCL-D
 
  By: Sheffield H.B. No. 1116
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the liability of certain social workers who provide
  volunteer health care services to charitable organizations.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 84.003(5), Civil Practice and Remedies
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
               (5)  "Volunteer health care provider" means an
  individual who voluntarily provides health care services without
  compensation or expectation of compensation and who is:
                     (A)  an individual who is licensed to practice
  medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
                     (B)  a retired physician who is eligible to
  provide health care services, including a retired physician who is
  licensed but exempt from paying the required annual registration
  fee under Section 156.002, Occupations Code;
                     (C)  a physician assistant licensed under Chapter
  204, Occupations Code, or a retired physician assistant who is
  eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
  state;
                     (D)  a registered nurse, including an advanced
  nurse practitioner, or vocational nurse, licensed under Chapter
  301, Occupations Code, or a retired vocational nurse or registered
  nurse, including a retired advanced nurse practitioner, who is
  eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
  state;
                     (E)  a pharmacist licensed under Subtitle J, Title
  3, Occupations Code, or a retired pharmacist who is eligible to
  provide health care services under the law of this state;
                     (F)  a podiatrist licensed under Chapter 202,
  Occupations Code, or a retired podiatrist who is eligible to
  provide health care services under the law of this state;
                     (G)  a dentist licensed under Subtitle D, Title 3,
  Occupations Code, or a retired dentist who is eligible to provide
  health care services under the law of this state;
                     (H)  a dental hygienist licensed under Subtitle D,
  Title 3, Occupations Code, or a retired dental hygienist who is
  eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
  state;
                     (I)  an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist
  licensed under Chapter 351, Occupations Code, or a retired
  optometrist or therapeutic optometrist who is eligible to provide
  health care services under the law of this state;
                     (J)  a physical therapist or physical therapist
  assistant licensed under Chapter 453, Occupations Code, or a
  retired physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who is
  eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
  state;
                     (K)  an occupational therapist or occupational
  therapy assistant licensed under Chapter 454, Occupations Code, or
  a retired occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant
  who is eligible to provide health care services under the law of
  this state; [or]
                     (L)  an audiologist, assistant in audiology,
  speech-language pathologist, or assistant in speech-language
  pathology licensed under Chapter 401, Occupations Code, or a
  retired audiologist, assistant in audiology, speech-language
  pathologist, or assistant in speech-language pathology who is
  eligible to provide health care services under the laws of this
  state; or
                     (M)  a social worker licensed under Chapter 505,
  Occupations Code, or a retired social worker who is eligible to
  engage in the practice of social work under the law of this state.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to a cause of action that
  accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. A cause of
  action that accrued before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law applicable to the cause of action 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, 2015.