BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2007

By: Cosper

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that because some of the dentists and dental hygienists serving military personnel and veterans in Texas are not licensed in Texas, these dentists and dental hygienists cannot provide charitable care to other patient populations in Texas. These parties note that state law provides for a military limited volunteer license for physicians, allowing active and retired military physicians in good standing licensed in other states to provide charitable care in Texas. H.B. 2007 seeks to make a military limited volunteer license available to certain dentists and dental hygienists.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board of Dental Examiners in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2007 amends the Occupations Code to require the State Board of Dental Examiners to adopt rules relating to the issuance of a military limited volunteer license. The bill authorizes the board to issue a military limited volunteer license to practice dentistry to a dentist or a military limited volunteer license to practice dental hygiene to a dental hygienist who is licensed and in good standing or was licensed and retired in good standing as a dentist or dental hygienist in another state, who is or was authorized as a dentist or dental hygienist to treat personnel enlisted in a branch of the U.S. armed forces or veterans, and who meets any other requirement prescribed by board rule. The bill prohibits the board from issuing such a license to an applicant who holds a dental or dental hygienist license that is currently under active investigation or that is or was subject to a disciplinary order or action or to denial by another jurisdiction, who holds a license to prescribe, dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance that is currently under active investigation or that is or was subject to a disciplinary order or action or to denial by another jurisdiction, or who has been convicted of, is on deferred adjudication community supervision or deferred disposition for, or is under active investigation for the commission of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. The bill restricts the locations at which a dentist or dental hygienist may practice dentistry or dental hygiene under a military limited volunteer license to a clinic that primarily treats indigent patients and prohibits the dentist or dental hygienist from receiving compensation for dental or dental hygiene services rendered at the clinic. The bill establishes that a military limited volunteer license holder is subject to board rules, including rules regarding disciplinary action, license registration and renewal, and continuing education.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.