82R5330 TJS-F
	By: Farrar	H.B. No. 823

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the liability of certain social workers who provide
	volunteer health care services to charitable organizations.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 84.003(5), Civil Practice and Remedies
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(5)  "Volunteer health care provider" means an
	individual who voluntarily provides health care services without
	compensation or expectation of compensation and who is:
	(A)  an individual who is licensed to practice
	medicine under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
	(B)  a retired physician who is eligible to
	provide health care services, including a retired physician who is
	licensed but exempt from paying the required annual registration
	fee under Section 156.002, Occupations Code;
	(C)  a physician assistant licensed under Chapter
	204, Occupations Code, or a retired physician assistant who is
	eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
	state;
	(D)  a registered nurse, including an advanced
	nurse practitioner, or vocational nurse, licensed under Chapter
	301, Occupations Code, or a retired vocational nurse or registered
	nurse, including a retired advanced nurse practitioner, who is
	eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
	state;
	(E)  a pharmacist licensed under Subtitle J, Title
	3, Occupations Code, or a retired pharmacist who is eligible to
	provide health care services under the law of this state;
	(F)  a podiatrist licensed under Chapter 202,
	Occupations Code, or a retired podiatrist who is eligible to
	provide health care services under the law of this state;
	(G)  a dentist licensed under Subtitle D, Title 3,
	Occupations Code, or a retired dentist who is eligible to provide
	health care services under the law of this state;
	(H)  a dental hygienist licensed under Subtitle D,
	Title 3, Occupations Code, or a retired dental hygienist who is
	eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
	state;
	(I)  an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist
	licensed under Chapter 351, Occupations Code, or a retired
	optometrist or therapeutic optometrist who is eligible to provide
	health care services under the law of this state;
	(J)  a physical therapist or physical therapist
	assistant licensed under Chapter 453, Occupations Code, or a
	retired physical therapist or physical therapist assistant who is
	eligible to provide health care services under the law of this
	state;
	(K)  an occupational therapist or occupational
	therapy assistant licensed under Chapter 454, Occupations Code, or
	a retired occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant
	who is eligible to provide health care services under the law of
	this state; [or]
	(L)  an audiologist, assistant in audiology,
	speech-language pathologist, or assistant in speech-language
	pathology licensed under Chapter 401, Occupations Code, or a
	retired audiologist, assistant in audiology, speech-language
	pathologist, or assistant in speech-language pathology who is
	eligible to provide health care services under the laws of this
	state; or
	(M)  a social worker licensed under Chapter 505,
	Occupations Code, or a retired social worker who is eligible to
	engage in the practice of social work under the law of this state.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to a cause of action that
	accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. A cause of
	action that accrued before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law applicable to the cause of action immediately
	before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in
	effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.