HBA-NMO H.B. 748 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 748
By: Van de Putte
Public Health
3/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Controlled Substances Act, Chapter 481, Health and Safety
Code, requires a dispensing pharmacist completing an official prescription
form to submit required information to the director of the Department of
Public Safety (director) no later than the 30th day after the prescription
is completed.  Information is submitted by electronic transfer, a universal
claim form, or another approved form.  Pharmacists have experienced
difficulty in the proper transmission of data.  H.B. 748 requires a
dispensing pharmacist to send all required information to the director by
electronic transfer. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 485.075(i), Health and Safety Code, to require
each dispensing pharmacist to send to the director of the Department of
Public Safety by electronic transfer all information required by the
director, rather than the option of transferring information electronically
or by other means. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.