Sec. 301.003. DEFINITIONS. In this title:

(1) "Licensed mental health professional" means a person, other than a physician, who is licensed by the state to engage in the practice of psychology or psychiatric nursing or to provide professional therapy or counseling services.

(2) "Professional association" means an association, as distinguished from either a partnership or a corporation, that is:

(A) formed for the purpose of providing the professional service rendered by a doctor of medicine, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of podiatry, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist, therapeutic optometrist, veterinarian, or licensed mental health professional; and

(B) governed as a professional entity under this title.

(3) "Professional corporation" means a corporation that is:

(A) formed for the purpose of providing a professional service, other than the practice of medicine by physicians, surgeons, or other doctors of medicine, that by law a corporation governed by Title 2 is prohibited from rendering; and

(B) governed as a professional entity under this title.

(4) "Professional entity" means a professional association, professional corporation, or professional limited liability company.

(5) "Professional individual," with respect to a professional entity, means an individual who is licensed to provide in this state or another jurisdiction the same professional service as is rendered by that professional entity.

(6) "Professional limited liability company" means a limited liability company formed for the purpose of providing a professional service and governed as a professional entity under this title.

(7) "Professional organization," with respect to a professional corporation or a professional limited liability company, means a person other than an individual, whether nonprofit, for-profit, domestic, or foreign and including a nonprofit corporation or nonprofit association, that renders the same professional service as the professional corporation or professional limited liability company only through owners, members, managerial officials, employees, or agents, each of whom is a professional individual or professional organization.

(8) "Professional service" means any type of service that requires, as a condition precedent to the rendering of the service, the obtaining of a license in this state, including the personal service rendered by an architect, attorney, certified public accountant, dentist, physician, public accountant, or veterinarian.

Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 182, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2006.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 64 (H.B. 1319), Sec. 97, eff. January 1, 2006.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 688 (H.B. 1737), Sec. 135, eff. September 1, 2007.