Dear AAPS members and friends,

In legislation passed this summer, the Texas legislature continued the medical board for only two years. This short extension means we have another opportunity NOW to pursue reform to improve the board’s interactions with the physicians under its regulation for the benefit of the patients they treat.

Despite past success in achieving changes, continued reforms are indeed needed. Just last week, for example, AAPS submitted an amicus brief with the U.S. Fifth Circuit asking the court to hold the TMB accountable for seizing patient records without a warrant in violation of the due process clause protections of the Fourth Amendment. In another case, the board continues to improperly restrict a physician whistleblower’s license even after an administrative law judge cleared the doctor of wrongdoing in an 80-page ruling.

Please help us and your colleagues by suggesting other needed reforms.

The Sunset Commission suggests submitting comments by October 27, but don’t worry if you can’t meet this cutoff, please simply submit your ideas as soon as possible. In addition, there will be other opportunities in the future to give input.

One needed change we are suggesting to the Sunset Commission, and you might suggest too, is the need for trial de novo review of medical board discipline.  Read more about this proposed change here: https://goo.gl/7jBxHF

There are a few easy ways to comment:

1) Email your comments to sunset@sunset.texas.gov

2) Fax them to 512/463-0705

3) By mail to:
Sunset Advisory Commission
P.O. Box 13066
Austin, Texas  78711

4) Or use the online form here: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/input-form

If you submit comments please forward a copy to us at president@texasaaps.org.

Thank you for your consideration of this important opportunity.

~TxAAPS
“Patients First”