HB 1027

relating to the provision of telepharmacy services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 562.110, Occupations Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (e-1) to read as
(e)  The board shall adopt rules regarding the use of a
telepharmacy system under this section, including:
(1)  [the types of health care facilities at which a
telepharmacy system may be located under Subsection (d)(1), which
must include the following facilities:
[(A)  a clinic designated as a rural health clinic
regulated under 42 U.S.C. Section 1395x(aa);
[(B)  a health center as defined by 42 U.S.C.
[(C)  a federally qualified health center as
defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 1396d(l)(2)(B);
[(2)  the locations eligible to be licensed as remote
dispensing sites, which must include locations in medically
underserved areas, areas with a medically underserved population,
and health professional shortage areas determined by the United
States Department of Health and Human Services;
[(3)]  licensing and operating requirements for remote
(A)  a requirement that a remote dispensing site
license identify the provider pharmacy that will provide pharmacy
services at the remote dispensing site;
(B)  a requirement that a provider pharmacy be
allowed to provide pharmacy services at not more than two remote
(C)  [a requirement that a pharmacist employed by
a provider pharmacy make at least monthly on-site visits to a remote
dispensing site or more frequent visits if specified by board rule;
[(D)]  a requirement that each month the perpetual
inventory of controlled substances at the remote dispensing site be
reconciled to the on-hand count of those controlled substances at
the site by a pharmacist employed by the provider pharmacy;
(D) [(E)]  a requirement that a pharmacist
employed by a provider pharmacy be physically present at a remote
dispensing site when the pharmacist is providing services requiring
the physical presence of the pharmacist, including immunizations;
(E) [(F)]  a requirement that a remote dispensing
site be staffed by an on-site pharmacy technician who is under the
continuous supervision of a pharmacist employed by the provider
(F) [(G)]  a requirement that all pharmacy
technicians at a remote dispensing site be counted for the purpose
of establishing the pharmacist-pharmacy technician ratio of the
provider pharmacy, which, notwithstanding Section 568.006, may not
exceed three pharmacy technicians for each pharmacist providing
(G) [(H)]  a requirement that, before working at a
remote dispensing site, a pharmacy technician must:
(i)  have worked at least one year at a
retail pharmacy during the three years preceding the date the
pharmacy technician begins working at the remote dispensing site;
(ii)  have completed a board-approved
training program on the proper use of a telepharmacy system;
(H) [(I)]  a requirement that pharmacy
technicians at a remote dispensing site may not perform
extemporaneous sterile or nonsterile compounding but may prepare
commercially available medications for dispensing, including the
reconstitution of orally administered powder antibiotics; and
(I) [(J)]  any additional training or practice
experience requirements for pharmacy technicians at a remote
(2) [(4)  the areas that qualify under Subsection (f);
[(5)]  recordkeeping requirements; and
(3) [(6)]  security requirements.
(e-1)  The board may not adopt any rule, policy, or other
directive imposing any mileage restriction related to the location
of a telepharmacy system or remote dispensing site.
SECTION 2.  The following provisions of the Occupations Code
(1)  Sections 562.110(f), (f-1), (i), and (j);
(2)  Sections 562.110(g) and (h), as added by Chapter
485 (H.B. 2561), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session,
(3)  Sections 562.110(g) and (h), as added by Chapter
929 (S.B. 1633), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session,
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.