Relating to the Texas Physician Health Program and the regulation of certain occupations by the Texas Medical Board; expanding the applicability of surcharges.

89(R) SB 2480 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

S.B. No. 2480

AN ACT

relating to the Texas Physician Health Program and the regulation

of certain occupations by the Texas Medical Board; expanding the

applicability of surcharges.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, is

amended by adding Section 153.017 to read as follows:

Sec.

153.017.

CONTINUOUS QUERIES OF NATIONAL PRACTITIONER

DATA BANK FOR ALL OCCUPATIONS REGULATED BY BOARD. (a)

In this

section, "license" means a license, certificate, registration,

permit, or other authorization issued by the board under this title

allowing an individual to engage in an occupation regulated by the

board.

(b)

The board shall run a continuous query on the National

Practitioner Data Bank with respect to each individual who holds a

license and for whom the National Practitioner Data Bank contains

relevant information.

SECTION 2. Section 153.051(d), Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d) The board may not set, charge, collect, receive, or

deposit any of the following fees in excess of:

(1) $900 for a license;

(2) $400 for a first registration permit;

(3) $200 for a temporary license;

(4) $400 for renewal of a registration permit;

(5) $200 for a physician-in-training permit;

(6) $600 for the processing of an application and the

issuance of a registration for anesthesia in an outpatient setting;

(7) $200 for an endorsement to other state medical

boards;

(8) $200 for a duplicate license;

(9) $700 for a reinstated license after cancellation

for cause; or

(10) $15 for a surcharge under Section
167.014

[
153.053
] to administer the Texas Physician Health Program[
, due at

the time of license issuance and registration permit renewal
].

SECTION 3. Section 153.055, Occupations Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as

follows:

(a)
In this section, "license" has the meaning assigned by

Section 153.017.

(a-1)
The board shall set and collect an additional

surcharge to cover the cost of administering a continuous query on

the National Practitioner Data Bank as required by Section
153.017

[
154.006(m)
]. The surcharge shall be collected from each

individual who holds a
license [
holder
] for:

(1) issuance of a first registration permit
under this

subtitle
; [
and
]

(2) renewal of a registration permit
under this

subtitle; and

(3) issuance or renewal of a license
.

SECTION 4. Section 154.006(m), Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(m)
Not
[
The board shall run a continuous query on the

National Practitioner Data Bank and, not
] later than the 10th

working day after the date
the board finds
any new information

resulting from a query on the National Practitioner Data Bank under

Section 153.017 with respect to a physician
[
is found
],
the board

shall
update a physician's profile to:

(1) include any new report or correction to a report of

disciplinary action against the physician; and

(2) remove any report of disciplinary action against

the physician that has been dismissed or otherwise voided.

SECTION 5. Section 167.001(6), Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(6) "Program participant" means
an individual
[
a

physician or physician assistant
] who receives services under the

program.

SECTION 6. Chapter 167, Occupations Code, is amended by

adding Section 167.0015 to read as follows:

Sec.

167.0015.

APPLICABILITY; MANNER OF PARTICIPATION.

(a)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter:

(1)

the program is a confidential, nondisciplinary

therapeutic program for any individual who holds a license,

certificate, registration, permit, or other authorization issued

by the board allowing the individual to engage in an occupation

regulated by the board; and

(2)

the program shall accept a self-referral from an

individual described by Subdivision (1).

(b)

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter,

other than Sections 167.009 and 167.0091, the board or an

appropriate advisory board or committee may make a referral to the

program and require participation in the program as a prerequisite

for issuing or maintaining a license, certificate, registration,

permit, or other authorization issued by the board allowing the

individual to engage in an occupation regulated by the board.

SECTION 7. Section 153.053, Occupations Code, is

redesignated as Section 167.014, Occupations Code, and amended to

read as follows:

Sec.
167.014
[
153.053
]. SURCHARGE TO ADMINISTER TEXAS

PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAM. (a) The board shall collect an

additional surcharge not to exceed $15 for each of the following

fees:

(1) first
license, certificate,
registration
,
permit
,

or other form of authorization allowing an individual to engage in

an occupation regulated by the board
; and

(2) renewal of a
form of authorization described by

Subdivision (1)
[
registration permit
].

(b) The board shall deposit each surcharge collected under

this section to the credit of the Texas physician health program

account. The Texas physician health program account is a special

account in the general revenue fund. Money in the special account

shall be appropriated only to the board to pay for administration of

the Texas Physician Health Program under
this chapter
[
Chapter

167
], including paying for an initial evaluation by the program's

medical director or the director's designee. Money in the special

account may not be used to pay for program participant costs

incurred for monitoring or for a program participant's own medical

costs, including any further required evaluations, primary

treatment, or continuing care.

SECTION 8. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas

Medical Board shall adopt rules to implement the changes in law made

by this Act.

(b) Section 153.055, Occupations Code, as amended by this

Act, and Section 167.014, Occupations Code, as redesignated and

amended by this Act, apply only to an application for the issuance

or renewal of a license, certificate, registration, permit, or

other authorization submitted on or after December 1, 2025. An

application submitted before December 1, 2025, is governed by the

law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and

that former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________

______________________________

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2480 passed the Senate on

May 5, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2480 passed the House on

May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 102, Nays 31, three

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor