H.B. No. 3703
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
 
 
  relating to the prescription of low-THC cannabis for medical use by
  certain qualified physicians to patients with certain medical
  conditions.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 169.001, Occupations Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (6) and amending Subdivision (3) to
  read as follows:
               (1-a)  "Incurable neurodegenerative disease" means a
  disease designated as an incurable neurodegenerative disease by
  rule of the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
  Commission, adopted in consultation with the National Institutes of
  Health.
               (3)  "Low-THC cannabis" means the plant Cannabis sativa
  L., and any part of that plant or any compound, manufacture, salt,
  derivative, mixture, preparation, resin, or oil of that plant that
  contains[:
                     [(A)] not more than 0.5 percent by weight of
  tetrahydrocannabinols[; and
                     [(B)     not less than 10 percent by weight of
  cannabidiol].
               (6)  "Terminal cancer" means cancer that meets the
  criteria for a terminal illness, as defined by Section 1003.051,
  Health and Safety Code.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 169, Occupations Code, is amended by
  adding Section 169.0011 and amending Sections 169.002, 169.003, and
  169.004 to read as follows:
         Sec. 169.0011.  PRESCRIPTION FOR MEDICAL USE. A reference
  in this chapter, Chapter 487, Health and Safety Code, or other law
  to a prescription for medical use or a prescription for low-THC
  cannabis means an entry in the compassionate-use registry
  established under Section 487.054, Health and Safety Code.
         Sec. 169.002.  PHYSICIAN QUALIFIED TO PRESCRIBE LOW-THC
  CANNABIS TO PATIENTS WITH CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS. (a)  Only a
  physician qualified with respect to a patient's particular medical
  condition as provided by this section may prescribe low-THC
  cannabis in accordance with this chapter to treat the applicable
  medical condition.
         (b)  A physician is qualified to prescribe low-THC cannabis
  with respect to a patient's particular medical condition [to a
  patient with intractable epilepsy] if the physician:
               (1)  is licensed under this subtitle;
               (2)  is board certified in a medical specialty relevant
  to the treatment of the patient's particular medical condition by a
  specialty board approved by the American Board of Medical
  Specialties or the Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists; and
               (3)  dedicates a significant portion of clinical
  practice to the evaluation and treatment of the patient's
  particular medical condition [epilepsy; and
               [(3)  is certified:
                     [(A)     by the American Board of Psychiatry and
  Neurology in:
                           [(i)  epilepsy; or
                           [(ii)     neurology or neurology with special
  qualification in child neurology and is otherwise qualified for the
  examination for certification in epilepsy; or
                     [(B)  in neurophysiology by:
                           [(i)     the American Board of Psychiatry and
  Neurology; or
                           [(ii)     the American Board of Clinical
  Neurophysiology].
         Sec. 169.003.  PRESCRIPTION OF LOW-THC CANNABIS.  A
  physician described by Section 169.002 may prescribe low-THC
  cannabis to a patient [alleviate a patient's seizures] if:
               (1)  the patient is a permanent resident of the state;
               (2)  the physician complies with the registration
  requirements of Section 169.004; and
               (3)  the physician certifies to the department that:
                     (A)  the patient is diagnosed with:
                           (i)  [intractable] epilepsy;
                           (ii)  a seizure disorder;
                           (iii)  multiple sclerosis;
                           (iv)  spasticity;
                           (v)  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis;
                           (vi)  autism;
                           (vii)  terminal cancer; or
                           (viii)  an incurable neurodegenerative
  disease; and
                     (B)  the physician determines the risk of the
  medical use of low-THC cannabis by the patient is reasonable in
  light of the potential benefit for the patient[; and
                     [(C)     a second physician qualified to prescribe
  low-THC cannabis under Section 169.002 has concurred with the
  determination under Paragraph (B), and the second physician's
  concurrence is recorded in the patient's medical record].
         Sec. 169.004.  LOW-THC CANNABIS PRESCRIBER REGISTRATION.
  (a)  Before a physician qualified to prescribe low-THC cannabis
  under Section 169.002 may prescribe or renew a prescription for
  low-THC cannabis for a patient under this chapter, the physician
  must register as the prescriber for that patient in the
  compassionate-use registry maintained by the department under
  Section 487.054, Health and Safety Code. The physician's
  registration must indicate:
               (1)  the physician's name;
               (2)  the patient's name and date of birth;
               (3)  the dosage prescribed to the patient;
               (4)  the means of administration ordered for the
  patient; and
               (5)  the total amount of low-THC cannabis required to
  fill the patient's prescription.
         (b)  The department may not publish the name of a physician
  registered under this section unless permission is expressly
  granted by the physician.
         SECTION 3.  Section 169.001(2), Occupations Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 4.  Not later than December 1, 2019, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, in
  consultation with the National Institutes of Health, shall adopt
  rules designating diseases as incurable neurodegenerative diseases
  for which patients may be prescribed low-THC cannabis for medical
  use under Chapter 169, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3703 was passed by the House on May 8,
  2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 133, Nays 10, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 3703 on May 24, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 5,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 3703 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor