By: Nelson S.B. No. 292
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the requirement that licensed physicians provide
emergency contact information to the Texas Medical Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 156, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 156.006 to read as follows:
Sec. 156.006. EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION. (a) Each
license holder shall submit to the board telephone numbers, fax
numbers, and e-mail addresses, if available and as appropriate,
that the board may use to contact the license holder in an
emergency.
(b) A license holder who receives an initial registration
permit shall provide the information required under Subsection (a)
not later than the 30th day after the date the permit is issued.
Each license holder who applies to renew a registration permit
shall submit the information required under Subsection (a) with the
renewal application.
(c) A license holder shall report to the board any change in
the information required under Subsection (a) not later than the
45th day after the date of the change.
(d) The information provided by a license holder under this
section is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
Chapter 552, Government Code. The board may not publish, release,
or make available information provided by a license holder under
this section except as provided by Subsection (e).
(e) In the event of a public health emergency declared or
invoked by the governor, the Department of State Health Services,
or a federal agency, the board may publish, release, or make
available information provided by a license holder under this
section for the sole purpose of disseminating information to:
(1) a license holder;
(2) a designated city, county, state, or federal
public health or emergency management official; or
(3) the Federation of State Medical Boards.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2009, each person who
holds a license to practice medicine under Chapter 155, Occupations
Code, shall make the initial submission to the Texas Medical Board
of the information required by Subsection (a), Section 156.006,
Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.