| 1 | 1 | | By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2064 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the dissemination of patient information through a |
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| 7 | 7 | | telemedicine, telehealth, or teledentistry service. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 111, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | adding Section 111.010 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 111.010. RESTRICTION ON SALE OR SHARING OF PATIENT |
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| 12 | 12 | | INFORMATION. (a) In this section: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) "Patient information" means any information |
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| 14 | 14 | | relating to: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (A) the past, present, or future physical or |
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| 16 | 16 | | mental health condition of an individual; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (B) the provision of health care to an |
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| 18 | 18 | | individual; or |
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| 19 | 19 | | (C) the past, present, or future payment for the |
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| 20 | 20 | | provision of health care to an individual. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) "Social media platform" has the meaning assigned |
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| 22 | 22 | | by Section 120.001, Business & Commerce Code. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (b) A physician, health professional, or dentist may not |
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| 24 | 24 | | provide a telemedicine medical service, telehealth service, or |
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| 25 | 25 | | teledentistry dental service, as applicable, through an entity that |
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| 26 | 26 | | provides telecommunications or information technology to enable |
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| 27 | 27 | | the service if the entity engages in the sale of the patient |
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| 28 | 28 | | information of a patient of the physician, health professional, or |
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| 29 | 29 | | dentist to or otherwise shares the patient information with a |
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| 30 | 30 | | social media platform. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (c) A physician, health professional, or dentist who |
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| 32 | 32 | | knowingly violates this section is subject to disciplinary action |
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| 33 | 33 | | by the applicable licensing entity, unless the physician, health |
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| 34 | 34 | | professional, or dentist had received written assurances from the |
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| 35 | 35 | | entity providing telecommunications or information technology that |
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| 36 | 36 | | the entity appropriately safeguards patient information of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | physician's, health professional's, or dentist's patients. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (d) An entity that provides telecommunications or |
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| 39 | 39 | | information technology to enable a telemedicine medical service, |
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| 40 | 40 | | telehealth service, or teledentistry service may not sell or |
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| 41 | 41 | | otherwise share patient information with a social media platform. |
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| 42 | 42 | | A violation of this subsection may be enforced in the same manner as |
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| 43 | 43 | | a violation of Chapter 181, Health and Safety Code, is enforced |
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| 44 | 44 | | under Subchapter E of that chapter. |
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| 45 | 45 | | (e) A licensing entity may adopt rules necessary to |
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| 46 | 46 | | implement this section. |
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| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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