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.