SB 2480

relating the administration of the Texas Physician Health Program;
the disciplinary authority of the Texas Medical Board; imposing a
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 153.053 to read as follows:
Sec. 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 registration permit; and
(2)  renewal of a 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 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
(c)  The board is authorized to collect the surcharge
established in (a) for all individuals licensed and regulated by
the board including all advisory boards and committees under this
SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 153, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 153.055 to read as follows:
Sec. 153.055.  SURCHARGE FOR CERTAIN SEARCHES RELATED TO
LICENSE STATUS.  (a)  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
154.006(m).  The surcharge shall be collected from each license
(1)  issuance of a first registration permit; and
(2)  renewal of a registration permit.
(b)  The board shall deposit each surcharge collected under
this section to the credit of the public assurance account
described by Section 153.0535(b).
(c)  The board is authorized to collect the surcharge
established in (a) for all individuals licensed and regulated by
the board including all advisory boards and committees under this
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.