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HB195

HB195: Updates for Physician Associates and Pharmacist Rules

Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 12:25 AM

In one sentence

This law changes the name of 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate,' sets new rules limiting government control over pharmacist agreements, requires doctors offering certain opioid prescriptions to offer overdose medicine, updates medical board membership, and allows delegation of routine duties.

What it does

  • Changes the official term from 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate' throughout state laws.
  • Stops government agencies or boards from charging fees for collaborative practice agreements between pharmacists and doctors.
  • Prohibits government approval requirements, scope definitions, or other regulations on pharmacist collaborative practice agreements.
  • Requires a dentist who prescribes opioids under specific conditions to offer the patient a prescription for an opioid overdose drug.
  • Updates the State Medical Board membership to include one physician associate instead of a general member.
  • Allows physicians, podiatrists, osteopaths, or physician associates to delegate routine medical duties to agents following new rules.

Who it affects

  • Physician associates and their supervisors
  • Pharmacists entering collaborative practice agreements
  • Dentists who prescribe opioid medications
  • The State Medical Board

Limits and unknowns

  • The text does not list the specific date when these changes will take effect.
  • Some sections of the full law were cut off before they could be read in the provided excerpt.

Plain language

Terms to know

Collaborative Practice Agreement
A formal plan that allows a pharmacist to work with a doctor to provide specific patient care services.
Opioid Overdose Drug
Medicine used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, as defined in state law.
Physician Associate
The new official name for a licensed medical professional previously called a physician assistant.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

PHARMACISTS; PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES An Act changing the term 'physician assistant' to 'physician associate'; relating to physician associates; relating to collaborative practice agreements for pharmacists; relating to the prescription of opioid overdose drugs; relating to the prescription and administration of drugs and devices by pharmacists; relating to reciprocity for pharmacists; amending the definition of 'practitioner'; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW SEE CHAPTER3235
  2. (H) ASSIGNED CHAPTER 24 SLA 263235
  3. (H) VETOED BY GOVERNOR 6/18/263116
  4. (S) JOINT SESSION at 01:00 PM HOUSE CHAMBERText
  5. (H) TO LEGAL SERVICES3108
  6. (H) GOVERNOR VETO OVERRIDDEN Y43 N173106
  7. (H) MANIFEST ERROR(S)3043
  8. (H) 10:44 A.M. 6/1/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR3043
  9. (S) VERSION: CSHB 195(FIN)2876
  10. (S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT2876
  11. (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE2876
  12. (S) PASSED Y15 N52876
  13. (S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSHB 195(FIN)2875
  14. (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING SAME DAY VOTE Y16 N42875
  15. (S) MOVED TO BOTTOM OF CALENDAR2838
  16. (S) READ THE SECOND TIME2837
  17. (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/20/20262831
  18. (S) Moved CSHB 195(FIN) Out of CommitteeText
  19. (S) FINANCE at 01:30 PM SENATE FINANCE 532Text
  20. (S) Heard & HeldText

Changes

Amendments

1 stored

AM 1

AM NO 1 TABLED Y23 N17 2614