HBA-MPA H.B. 573 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 573 By: Pitts Public Health 2/11/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, medical professionals are not allowed to count hours spent volunteering their care services in free clinics toward their continuing education requirement. This requirement must be met to renew a license. H.B. 573 changes state law to permit a medical license holder to earn continuing medical education credit by providing free medical services at a site serving a medically underserved population. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Board of Medical Examiners in SECTION 1, (Section 3.026, Article 4495b, V.T.C.S.(Medical Practice Act)), to the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners in SECTION 2 , (Section 10A, Article 4495b-1, V.T.C.S.(Physician Assistant Licensing Act)), and to the Board of Nurse Examiners in SECTION 3, (Section 7A, Article 4518, V.T.C.S.), of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C (Medical Practice Act), Article 4495b, V.T.C.S., by adding Section 3.026, as follows: Sec. 3.026. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE MEDICAL SERVICES. Defines "a site serving a medically underserved population." Requires the Texas Board of Medical Examiners, by rule, to permit a license holder to earn continuing medical education hours by providing free medical services at a site serving a medically underserved population. SECTION 2. Amends the Article 4495b-1, V.T.C.S. (Physician Assistant Licensing Act), by adding Section 10A, as follows: Sec. 10A. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE MEDICAL SERVICES. Defines "a site serving a medically underserved population." Requires the Texas State Board of Physician Assistant Examiners, by rule, to permit a license holder to earn continuing medical education hours by providing free medical services at a site serving a medically underserved population. SECTION 3. Amends Article 4518, V.T.C.S. by adding Section 7A, as follows: Sec. 7A. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR CERTAIN FREE NURSING SERVICES. Defines "a site serving a medically underserved population." Requires the Board of Nurse Examiners, by rule, to permit a license holder to earn continuing medical education hours by providing free medical services at a site serving a medically underserved population. SECTION 4. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1999. (b) Requires an entity required to adopt rules under this Act to adopt the rules not later than January 1, 2000. SECTION 5. Emergency clause.