| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 1476 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | relating to the authority of a community health center to contract |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | with or employ an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist. |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 351, Occupations Code, is |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 351.367 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 351.367. CONTRACT OR EMPLOYMENT WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | CENTERS. (a) In this section, "community health center" means a |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | health organization that: |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | (1) is a nonprofit corporation under the Texas |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Texas Civil Statutes) and Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | of 1986; and |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (2) is organized and operated as: |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (A) a migrant, community, or homeless health |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | center under the authority of and in compliance with 42 U.S.C. |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Section 254b or 254c; or |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (B) a federally qualified health center under 42 |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | U.S.C. Section 1396d(l)(2)(B). |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (b) The board by rule shall certify a health organization to |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | contract with or employ an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | if the organization: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (1) applies for certification on a form approved by |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | the board; and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (2) presents proof satisfactory to the board that the |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | organization is a community health center. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (c) A community health center that contracts with or employs |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist under this section may |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | not control or attempt to control the professional judgment of the |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | optometrist or therapeutic optometrist. |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1476 passed the Senate on |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | April 30, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1476 passed the House on |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | May 15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, one present |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | not voting. |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | Approved: |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | Date |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | Governor |
|---|