BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 679

By: Hancock

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have raised concerns regarding the inability of chiropractors to jointly own and operate health care entities with certain other health care professionals and contend that chiropractors often encounter legal and administrative barriers when attempting to work with other health care professionals. S.B. 679 seeks to address these concerns by providing licensed chiropractors the opportunity to jointly own and operate professional health care entities with certain licensed health care practitioners.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 679 amends the Business Organizations Code to include chiropractors licensed by the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners among the practitioners authorized to form a corporation, a partnership, a professional association, or a professional limited liability company that is, as applicable, jointly owned, managed, and controlled by such practitioners to perform professional services that falls within the scope of practice of those practitioners.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.