HBA-NRS H.B. 2942 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2942
By: Capelo
Public Health
3/23/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law provides that practicing medicine without an annual
registration receipt for the current year has the same effect, and is
subject to all penalties of, practicing medicine without a license. 
Current law also provides that a physician is allowed a 30-day grace period
for payment of the annual  
registration fee from the date of the expiration of the license. Current
law is inconsistent regarding whether a physician who does not pay the
annual registration fee by the expiration date, but does pay the fee within
the 30-day grace period is or is not practicing without a license during
that period.  This inconsistency creates problems for hospitals and other
health care entities involved in credentialing physicians. Physicians who
have not paid the annual registration fee in time to allow for the posting
of the fee and updating of the new expiration date of the registration, may
be considered to have an expired registration. House Bill 2942 seeks to
clarify current law by providing that a physician is not considered to be
practicing medicine without a license during the 30-day grace period. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2942 amends the Occupations Code to provide that practicing
medicine without an annual registration receipt for the current year 30
days after the expiration of the previous year has the same effect as, and
is subject to all penalties of, practicing medicine without a license.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

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