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


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1717
By: Uresti
Public Health
4/10/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



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.  C.S.H.B. 1717 authorizes 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) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1717 amends the Occupations Code to authorize 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 prohibits the board from
adopting rules after January 1, 2003. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

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

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1717 differs from the original bill by authorizing rather than
requiring the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (board) in
adopting rules to develop a process to evaluate and approve continuing
education courses as provided in this bill. The substitute prohibits the
board from adopting rules after January 1, 2003 whereas the original
required the board to adopt rules no later than January 1, 2002.