HBA-NMO H.B. 1420 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1420 By: Alvarado Public Health 3/14/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, podiatrists in this state are licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (board). Current law does not entitle a podiatrist to receive a copy of a complaint filed against the podiatrist, nor is there a mechanism for the board to expunge frivolous complaints from the file of a license holder. H.B. 1420 requires the board to provide a copy of each complaint to the license holder, and, if a complaint is found to be unwarranted, to expunge from the license holder's file the complaint and any information obtained in the investigation of the complaint. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subsection (a), Article 4573, V.T.C.S., to require the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (board), if a complaint is filed with the board, to provide a copy of the complaint to the license holder. SECTION 2. Amends Article 4573c, V.T.C.S., by adding Subsection (g), as follows: (g) Requires the board, if, after an investigation of a complaint, it determines that a license holder did not violate this chapter, to expunge from the license holder's file the complaint and any information obtained by the board in the investigation of the complaint. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.