HBA-CMT H.B. 100 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 100
By: Maxey
Public Health
2/7/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The United States Congress and state legislatures have enacted many
safeguards to protect consumers from unregulated health care activities.
Both federal and state licensing agencies have developed rules to regulate
professionals providing a service to consumers.  With services to consumers
now being provided via the Internet, there may be confusion as to the
authority of state licensing authorities who regulate professionals on the
Internet with the same authority as in a non-Internet  situation.  House
Bill 100 clarifies that a state licensing authority has the same regulatory
power over actions on the Internet as it has in a non-Internet setting. 


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 100 amends the Occupation Code to provide that the fact that a
health care activity occurs through the use of the Internet does not affect
a licensing authority's power to regulate an activity or person that would
otherwise be regulated.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

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