§ 34-38 — Payment of cost of medical examination for victims of alleged sexual assault where examination requested by police department

Sec. 34-38. - Payment of cost of medical examination for victims of alleged sexual assault where examination requested by police department.

(a) As used in this section: (1) Sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault are the offenses defined in §§ 21.011 and 21.021 of the Texas Penal Code. (2) Medical examination includes a medical examination and all laboratory tests related to the alleged offenses of sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault as defined herein. (b) The chief of the police department is hereby authorized to initiate a voucher for the payment of medical examinations that are requested by an authorized member of such department. Such vouchers shall be based on bills submitted to the police department by the attending physician. (c) No payment of a voucher for the cost of a medical examination shall be made without the approval of the director of the public health. The director shall review all payments for the appropriateness of the medical procedures and tests performed and the costs thereof. Such review shall be based on generally accepted medical standards for such procedures and fees. (d) The chief of police may delegate the responsibility for authorizing and paying for such tests to any member of the police department. (e) The director of the public health may delegate his responsibility for the review provided herein to any member of the Houston Health Department who is licensed to practice medicine in the state.

(Code 1968, § 2-24; Ord. No. 75-386, § 1, 3-11-75; Ord. No. 2015-820, §§ 33, 34, 8-26-2015)