85R6199 MAW-D
 
  By: Guerra H.B. No. 986
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an exemption from licensing requirements for certain
  physicians and athletic trainers employed by sports teams.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 151, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 151.0521 to read as follows:
         Sec. 151.0521.  EXEMPTION FOR SPORTS TEAM PHYSICIAN. A
  person is exempt from the licensing requirements of this subtitle
  and may engage in the practice of medicine in this state if the
  person:
               (1)  is employed or designated as a team physician by a
  professional or intercollegiate sports team visiting this state for
  a specific sporting event;
               (2)  is licensed to practice medicine in the team's home
  state; and
               (3)  limits the person's practice of medicine in this
  state to treating, during the period beginning on the date the team
  arrives in this state for the event and ending on the 10th day after
  the date of the event:
                     (A)  the members, coaches, and staff of the team;
  and
                     (B)  a family member of a person described by
  Paragraph (A) if the family member is visiting this state for the
  event.
         SECTION 2.  Section 451.003, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 451.003.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter does not apply
  to:
               (1)  a physician licensed by the Texas Medical Board or
  engaged in the practice of medicine as authorized by Section
  151.0521;
               (2)  a dentist, licensed under the laws of this state,
  engaged in the practice of dentistry;
               (3)  a licensed optometrist or therapeutic optometrist
  engaged in the practice of optometry or therapeutic optometry as
  defined by statute;
               (4)  an occupational therapist engaged in the practice
  of occupational therapy;
               (5)  a nurse engaged in the practice of nursing;
               (6)  a licensed podiatrist engaged in the practice of
  podiatry as defined by statute;
               (7)  a physical therapist engaged in the practice of
  physical therapy;
               (8)  a registered massage therapist engaged in the
  practice of massage therapy;
               (9)  a commissioned or contract physician, physical
  therapist, or physical therapist assistant in the United States
  Army, Navy, Air Force, or Public Health Service; or
               (10)  an athletic trainer who does not live in this
  state and [,] who meets the requirements of Section 451.004 [is
  licensed, registered, or certified by an authority recognized by
  the department, and who provides athletic training in this state
  for a period determined by the department].
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 451, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 451.004 to read as follows:
         Sec. 451.004.  EXEMPTION FOR SPORTS TEAM ATHLETIC TRAINER.
  A person is exempt from this chapter if the person:
               (1)  is employed or designated as a team athletic
  trainer by a professional or intercollegiate sports team visiting
  this state for a specific sporting event;
               (2)  is licensed, registered, or certified as an
  athletic trainer in the team's home state; and
               (3)  limits the person's practice of athletic training
  in this state to providing, during the period beginning on the date
  the team arrives in this state for the event and ending on the 10th
  day after the date of the event, athletic training to:
                     (A)  the members, coaches, and staff of the team;
  and
                     (B)  a family member of a person described by
  Paragraph (A) if the family member is visiting this state for the
  event.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.