Bill Text: TX HB548 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the temporary licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers to practice in underserved areas.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-26 - Removed from local & uncontested calendar [HB548 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB548-Comm_Sub.html
By: Frank, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Blanco) | H.B. No. 548 | |
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; | ||
May 4, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran | ||
Affairs & Border Security; May 20, 2021, reported adversely, with | ||
favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, | ||
Nays 0; May 20, 2021, sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 548 | By: Blanco |
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relating to the temporary licensing of certain military veterans as | ||
health care providers to practice in underserved areas. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 155, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 155.108 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 155.108. TEMPORARY LICENSE FOR MILITARY VETERAN TO | ||
PRACTICE IN CERTAIN AREAS. (a) In this section, "active duty" and | ||
"armed forces of the United States" have the meanings assigned by | ||
Section 55.001. | ||
(b) The board shall issue a temporary license to practice | ||
medicine in a location described by Subsection (e) to an applicant | ||
who: | ||
(1) is licensed in good standing as a physician in | ||
another state; | ||
(2) is a veteran of the armed forces of the United | ||
States who retired from or otherwise left military service not more | ||
than one year before the application date for a license under this | ||
section; and | ||
(3) was, at the time of retiring from or leaving | ||
military service: | ||
(A) serving on active duty in this state; and | ||
(B) authorized as a physician to treat persons | ||
enlisted in the armed forces of the United States or veterans. | ||
(c) An applicant for a license under this section is not | ||
required to have passed the Texas medical jurisprudence | ||
examination. | ||
(d) The board may not issue a license under this section to | ||
an applicant who: | ||
(1) was discharged or separated from the armed forces | ||
of the United States: | ||
(A) on the basis of substandard conduct; or | ||
(B) for any act of misconduct or moral or | ||
professional dereliction; | ||
(2) holds a medical license or a license to prescribe, | ||
dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance that: | ||
(A) is currently under active investigation; or | ||
(B) is or was subject to a disciplinary order or | ||
action or to denial by any jurisdiction; or | ||
(3) has been convicted of, is on deferred adjudication | ||
community supervision or deferred disposition for, or is under | ||
active investigation for the commission of: | ||
(A) a felony; or | ||
(B) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. | ||
(e) A physician licensed under this section may practice | ||
only in: | ||
(1) a health professional shortage area, as defined by | ||
Section 157.051; or | ||
(2) a medically underserved community, as defined by | ||
Section 487.201, Government Code. | ||
(f) A license issued under this section: | ||
(1) expires 18 months after the date the license was | ||
issued; and | ||
(2) may not be renewed. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 301.262 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 301.262. TEMPORARY LICENSE FOR MILITARY VETERAN TO | ||
PRACTICE IN CERTAIN AREAS. (a) In this section, "active duty" and | ||
"armed forces of the United States" have the meanings assigned by | ||
Section 55.001. | ||
(b) The board shall issue a temporary license to practice | ||
nursing in a location described by Subsection (e) to an applicant | ||
who: | ||
(1) is licensed in good standing as a nurse in another | ||
state; | ||
(2) is a veteran of the armed forces of the United | ||
States who retired from or otherwise left military service not more | ||
than one year before the application date for a license under this | ||
section; and | ||
(3) was, at the time of retiring from or otherwise | ||
leaving military service: | ||
(A) serving on active duty in this state; and | ||
(B) authorized as a nurse to treat persons | ||
enlisted in the armed forces of the United States or veterans. | ||
(c) An applicant for a license under this section is not | ||
required to have passed the jurisprudence examination. | ||
(d) The board may not issue a license under this section to | ||
an applicant who: | ||
(1) was discharged or separated from the armed forces | ||
of the United States: | ||
(A) on the basis of substandard conduct; or | ||
(B) for any act of misconduct or moral or | ||
professional dereliction; | ||
(2) holds a nursing license or a license to prescribe, | ||
dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance that: | ||
(A) is currently under active investigation; or | ||
(B) is or was subject to a disciplinary order or | ||
action or to denial by any jurisdiction; or | ||
(3) has been convicted of, is on deferred adjudication | ||
community supervision or deferred disposition for, or is under | ||
active investigation for the commission of: | ||
(A) a felony; or | ||
(B) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. | ||
(e) A nurse licensed under this section may practice only | ||
in: | ||
(1) a health professional shortage area, as defined by | ||
Section 157.051; or | ||
(2) a medically underserved community, as defined by | ||
Section 487.201, Government Code. | ||
(f) A license issued under this section: | ||
(1) expires 18 months after the date the license was | ||
issued; and | ||
(2) may not be renewed. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
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