Thanks to your calls,
HB 1013 PASSED in the Texas House by an incredible 147-0!
This reform of the medical board must now pass the Senate, where Sen. Dan Patrick is the sponsor. TIME IS SHORT BECAUSE THE SENATE ADJOURNS SOON. Opponents of real medical board reform, who want to perpetuate secret complaints against physicians, are trying to get this bill assigned to a bad committee to block the bill.
It is critical that Lt. Gov. Dewhurst send HB 1013 to a favorable committee. Since this bill deals with legal due process, it rightfully belongs in the Senate Jurisprudence Committee chaired by Senator Chris Harris, who is a strong supporter of this bill. This bill does not deal with the practice of medicine but rather with legal due process and thus belongs in Harris's committee.
Please drop whatever you are doing and call and e-mail the Lt. Governor's leadership team right away and ask them to send HB 1013 to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee.
CALL Lt. Governor Dewhurst’s Leadership Team
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Chief of Staff: Blaine Brunson – 512-463-0001,
asst. Analisa [email protected] -
Julia Rathgeber – Director of Policy – 512-463-0001
[email protected] -
Franci Blake – Special Asst for Policy – 512-481-1918
[email protected] -
Jamie Dudensing – Health and Human Services
[email protected]
Lt. Gov. Dewhurst originally committed to send this bill to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee, but has been lobbied by the Texas Medical Association (TMA), which fiercely opposed this bill in the House and wants to send it to the Health & Human Service (HHS) Committee where Sen. Jane Nelson — a longtime ally of the TMA — presides.
If it is sent to the HHS Committee, then the TMA and Jane Nelson will likely block or emasculate the bill.
You can stop this from happening by making calls NOW. Please forward this to your distribution list!
