BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2480 By: Campbell Health & Human Services 4/11/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT The 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, passed H.B. 1998, which reorganized the funding mechanism for the Texas Physician Health Program (TxPHP) from a participation fee to a surcharge on license renewals. TxPHP provides confidential early intervention, assessment, treatment referral, and post-treatment monitoring for health professionals under the Texas Medical Board's (TMB) jurisdiction who may be unable to practice safely due to an impairing or potentially impairing health condition. The program's participants include physicians, physician assistants, surgical assistants, perfusionists, medical students, and other license holders governed by TMB. Since all TMB licenseesnot just physiciansare participating in this program, the intent of H.B. 1998 was for this surcharge to apply to all licensees. However, the Legislative Budget Board has informed TMB that the language of H.B. 1998 only allows the collection of license renewal surcharges from physicians and physician assistants. Yet the program remains available to all license holders. S.B. 2480 would rectify this issue by explicitly permitting TMB to collect TxPHP license renewal surcharge fees from all TMB licensees, as initially intended. Key Provision: Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153 of the Occupational Code, authorizing TMB to collect surcharges on all licensees regulated by the board to administer the Texas Physician Health Program. Committee Substitute: Texas Legislative Council version of the introduced text. As proposed, S.B. 2480 amends current law relating to the administration of the Texas Physician Health Program, the disciplinary authority of the Texas Medical Board, and imposes a surcharge. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, by adding Section 153.053, as follows: Sec. 153.053. SURCHARGE TO ADMINISTER TEXAS PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAM. (a)-(b) Makes no changes to these subsections. (c) Provides that the Texas Medical Board (TMB) is authorized to collect the surcharge established in Subsection (a) (relating to requiring TMB collect an additional surcharge not to exceed $15 for certain registration permit fees) for all individuals licensed and regulated by TMB including all advisory boards and committees under Title 3 (Health Professions). SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, by adding Section 153.055, as follows: Sec. 153.055. SURCHARGE FOR CERTAIN SEARCHES RELATED TO LICENSE STATUS. (a)-(b) Makes no changes to these subsections. (c) Provides that TMB is authorized to collect the surcharge established in Subsection (a) (relating to requiring that a surcharge to cover the cost of administering a continuous query on the National Practitioner Data Bank be collected from each license holder for certain initial and renewal registration permits) for all individuals licensed and regulated by TMB including all advisory boards and committees under this title. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2480
By: Campbell
Health & Human Services
4/11/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2480
By: Campbell
Health & Human Services
4/11/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, passed H.B. 1998, which reorganized the funding mechanism for the Texas Physician Health Program (TxPHP) from a participation fee to a surcharge on license renewals. TxPHP provides confidential early intervention, assessment, treatment referral, and post-treatment monitoring for health professionals under the Texas Medical Board's (TMB) jurisdiction who may be unable to practice safely due to an impairing or potentially impairing health condition. The program's participants include physicians, physician assistants, surgical assistants, perfusionists, medical students, and other license holders governed by TMB. Since all TMB licenseesnot just physiciansare participating in this program, the intent of H.B. 1998 was for this surcharge to apply to all licensees.
However, the Legislative Budget Board has informed TMB that the language of H.B. 1998 only allows the collection of license renewal surcharges from physicians and physician assistants. Yet the program remains available to all license holders. S.B. 2480 would rectify this issue by explicitly permitting TMB to collect TxPHP license renewal surcharge fees from all TMB licensees, as initially intended.
Key Provision:
Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153 of the Occupational Code, authorizing TMB to collect surcharges on all licensees regulated by the board to administer the Texas Physician Health Program.
Committee Substitute:
Texas Legislative Council version of the introduced text.
As proposed, S.B. 2480 amends current law relating to the administration of the Texas Physician Health Program, the disciplinary authority of the Texas Medical Board, and imposes a surcharge.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, by adding Section 153.053, as follows:
Sec. 153.053. SURCHARGE TO ADMINISTER TEXAS PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAM. (a)-(b) Makes no changes to these subsections.
(c) Provides that the Texas Medical Board (TMB) is authorized to collect the surcharge established in Subsection (a) (relating to requiring TMB collect an additional surcharge not to exceed $15 for certain registration permit fees) for all individuals licensed and regulated by TMB including all advisory boards and committees under Title 3 (Health Professions).
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, by adding Section 153.055, as follows:
Sec. 153.055. SURCHARGE FOR CERTAIN SEARCHES RELATED TO LICENSE STATUS. (a)-(b) Makes no changes to these subsections.
(c) Provides that TMB is authorized to collect the surcharge established in Subsection (a) (relating to requiring that a surcharge to cover the cost of administering a continuous query on the National Practitioner Data Bank be collected from each license holder for certain initial and renewal registration permits) for all individuals licensed and regulated by TMB including all advisory boards and committees under this title.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.