CHAPTER 105.  HEALTH PROFESSIONS RESOURCE CENTER

Sec. 105.001.  Definitions.

         In this chapter:

                       (1) "Health profession" means any health or allied health
         profession that is licensed, certified, or registered by a
         state board, agency, or association.

                       (2) "Council" means the statewide health coordinating
         council.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1386, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.

Sec. 105.002.  Establishment of Center.

         In conjunction with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board and in such a way as to avoid duplication of effort, the
council shall establish a comprehensive health professions
resource center for the collection and analysis of educational
and employment trends for health professions in this state.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1386, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.

Sec. 105.003.  Collection of Data.

         (a) The council shall place a high priority on collecting and
disseminating data on health professions demonstrating an acute
shortage in this state, including:

                       (1) data concerning nursing personnel; and

                       (2) data concerning the health professions in which
         shortages occur in rural areas.

         (b) To the extent possible, the council may collect the data
from existing sources that the council determines are credible. 
The council may enter agreements with those sources that
establish guidelines concerning the identification, acquisition,
transfer, and confidentiality of the data.

         (c) At a minimum, the data collected by the council must
include the following in regard to health professionals:

                       (1) their number and geographic distribution;

                       (2) licensure or certification status;

                       (3) specialty areas, if applicable; and

                       (4) trends or changes in license holders according to number
         or geographic distribution.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1386, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.

Sec. 105.004.  Reports.

         The council may use the data collected and analyzed under this
chapter to publish reports regarding:

                       (1) the educational and employment trends for health
         professions;

                       (2) the supply and demand of health professions; and

                       (3) other issues, as necessary, concerning health
         professions in this state.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1386, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1,
1997.

Sec. 105.005.  Rules.

         The board may adopt rules to govern the reporting and
collection of data.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

Sec. 105.006.  Assistance of Other State Agencies.

         The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may require the
assistance of other state agencies or institutions of higher
education for the development of any report.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 40, eff. Sept. 1,
1991.

       Amendment by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 872, Sec. 1
                                
V.T.C.A. Government Code, Sec. 311.031(c) provides, in part, that
the repeal of a statute by a code does not affect an amendment of
the statute by the same legislature which enacted the code and
that the amendment is preserved and given effect as part of the
code provision.

Section 1 of Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 872 amends subsec. (h) of
Vernon's Ann.Civ.St. art. 4414b-2 [now, this section] without
reference to the repeal of said article by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg.,
ch. 14, Sec. 285(b)(62).  As so amended, subsec. (h) read:

"The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the Texas
Department of Health may require the assistance of other state
agencies or institutions of higher education for the development
of or the collection of data for any report."

Sec. 105.007.  Clearinghouse.

         (a) As part of the comprehensive health professions resource
center, the council shall develop and establish a clearinghouse
for health professionals seeking collaborative practice.

         (b) The council may:

                       (1) set and collect a reasonable fee to offset the cost of
         complying with this section;

                       (2) solicit, receive, and spend grants, gifts, and donations
         from public and private sources to comply with this section;
         and

                       (3) contract with public or private entities in the
         performance of its responsibilities under this section.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 965, Sec. 1, eff. June 16,
1995.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1386, Sec. 7, eff.
Sept. 1, 1997