HBA-MPM H.B. 1717 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1717
By: Uresti
Public Health
3/21/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners
(board) to develop by  rule a process to evaluate and approve continuing
education courses for occupational therapists.  The outsourcing of this
process may enhance the quality of the continuing education courses and
reduce the demands on board support staff.  House Bill 1717 requires the
board to permit license holder peer organizations to evaluate and approve
continuing education courses according to the board's established process. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy
Examiners in SECTION 1 (Section 454.254, Occupations Code) and SECTION 2 of
this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1717 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Board of
Occupational Therapy Examiners (board) in adopting rules to develop a
process to evaluate and approve continuing education courses for
occupational therapists to authorize license holder peer organizations in
Texas to evaluate and approve the courses in accordance with the board's
evaluation and approval process.  The bill requires the board to adopt
rules required by this bill no later than January 1, 2002. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.