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      By: Campbell, Johnson S.B. No. 1608     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to physical examination requirements for patients   admitted to an inpatient mental health facility.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 575, Health and Safety   Code, is amended by adding Sections 575.004 and 575.005 to read as   follows:           Sec.   575.004.     IN-PERSON PHYSICAL EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS.   (a)   Except as provided by Subsection (b), a physical examination or   assessment of a patient admitted to an inpatient mental health   facility that is required to be conducted on the patient's   admission must be conducted in person.           (b)     A physical examination or assessment described by   Subsection (a) may be conducted using telemedicine medical services   if, at the time the examination or assessment is required to be   conducted, the area in which the inpatient mental health facility   is located is subject to a declaration of disaster by the governor   under Chapter 418, Government Code, or a declaration of local   disaster under that chapter.   In this subsection, "telemedicine   medical service"   has the meaning assigned by Section 111.001,   Occupations Code.           Sec.   575.005.     PHYSICAL EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS IN CERTAIN   COUNTIES.   (a)   This section applies only to an inpatient mental   health facility located in a county with a population of less than   200,000.           (b)     Notwithstanding any other law, a physical examination   or assessment described by Section 575.004(a) of a patient admitted   to an inpatient mental health facility to which this section   applies must be conducted not later than 48 hours after the   patient's admission.          SECTION 2.  Sections 575.004 and 575.005, Health and Safety   Code, as added by this Act, apply only to the admission of a patient   to an inpatient mental health facility that occurs on or after the   effective date of this Act. The admission of a patient to an   inpatient mental health facility that occurs before the effective   date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the   admission occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for   that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.