S.B. No. 776

	AN ACT
	relating to certain educational requirements applicable to the
	regulation of the practice of chiropractic.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 201.052, Occupations
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  A person is not eligible to serve as a member of the
	board if the person:
	(1)  is a member of the faculty or board of trustees of
	a chiropractic school or a doctor of chiropractic degree program;
	(2)  is a stockholder in a chiropractic school or
	college; or
	(3)  has a financial interest in a chiropractic school
	or college.
	SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 201.159, Occupations
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The board shall preserve a record of its proceedings in
	a register that contains:
	(1)  the name, age, place, and duration of residence of
	each applicant for a license;
	(2)  the amount of time spent by the applicant in the
	study of chiropractic in respective doctor of chiropractic degree
	programs [schools]; and
	(3)  other information the board desires to record.
	SECTION 3.  Subsections (a) and (d), Section 201.302,
	Occupations Code, are amended to read as follows:
	(a)  An applicant for a license by examination must present
	satisfactory evidence to the board that the applicant:
	(1)  is at least 18 years of age;
	(2)  is of good moral character;
	(3)  has completed 90 semester hours of college courses
	[at a school] other than courses included in a doctor of
	chiropractic degree program [school]; and
	(4)  is either a graduate or a final semester student of
	a bona fide reputable doctor of chiropractic degree program
	[school].
	(d)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(3), if the Council on
	Chiropractic Education or another national chiropractic education
	accreditation organization recognized by the board requires a
	number of semester hours of college courses [at a school] other than
	courses included in a doctor of chiropractic degree program
	[school] that is greater or less than the number of hours specified
	by that subsection to qualify for admission to a doctor of
	chiropractic degree program [school], the board may adopt the
	requirement of that organization if the board determines that
	requirement to be appropriate.
	SECTION 4.  Subsection (d), Section 201.303, Occupations
	Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(d)  A bona fide reputable doctor of chiropractic degree
	program [school] that satisfies Section 201.302(a)(4) is one that:
	(1)  has entrance requirements and a course of
	instruction as high as those of a better class of doctor of
	chiropractic degree programs [schools] in the United States;
	(2)  maintains a resident course of instruction
	equivalent to:
	(A)  not less than four terms of eight months
	each; or
	(B)  not less than the number of semester hours
	required by The University of Texas for a bachelor of arts or
	bachelor of science degree;
	(3)  provides a course of instruction in the
	fundamental subjects listed in Section 201.305(b); and
	(4)  has the necessary teaching staff and facilities
	for proper instruction in all of the fundamental subjects listed in
	Section 201.305(b).
	SECTION 5.  Section 201.309, Occupations Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 201.309.  LICENSE ISSUANCE TO CERTAIN OUT-OF-STATE
	APPLICANTS.  The board shall issue a license to practice
	chiropractic to an out-of-state applicant who:
	(1)  submits a written application to the board on a
	form prescribed by the board, accompanied by the application fee
	set by the board and any other information requested by the board;
	(2)  is licensed in good standing to practice
	chiropractic in another state or foreign country that has licensing
	requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of this
	chapter;
	(3)  has not been the subject of a disciplinary action
	and is not the subject of a pending investigation in any
	jurisdiction in which the applicant is or has been licensed;
	(4)  has graduated from a doctor of chiropractic degree
	program [school] accredited by the Council on Chiropractic
	Education and approved by rule by the board;
	(5)  has passed a national or other examination
	recognized by the board relating to the practice of chiropractic;
	(6)  has passed the board's jurisprudence examination;
	(7)  has practiced chiropractic:
	(A)  for at least the three years immediately
	preceding the date of the application under this section; or
	(B)  as a chiropractic educator in [at] a doctor
	of chiropractic degree program [school] accredited by the Council
	on Chiropractic Education for at least the three years immediately
	preceding the date of the application under this section; and
	(8)  meets any other requirements adopted by rule by
	the board under this chapter.
	SECTION 6.  The change in law made by this Act applies to an
	applicant who files an application for a license under Chapter 201,
	Occupations Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. An
	applicant who files an application before that date is governed by
	the law in effect on the date the application was filed, and the
	former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 776 passed the Senate on
	April 19, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2007, by the
	following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 776 passed the House, with
	amendment, on May 23, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 144,
	Nays 0, two present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor