H.B. No. 2454
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to continuing education requirements for certain health
  professionals regarding pain management and the prescribing of
  opioids.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 156.055, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 156.055.  CONTINUING EDUCATION IN PAIN MANAGEMENT AND
  PRESCRIPTION OF OPIOIDS [TREATMENT]. (a) A physician licensed
  under this subtitle who submits an application for renewal of a
  license that designates a direct patient care practice must
  complete, in accordance with this section, not less than two hours
  of continuing medical education regarding safe and effective pain
  management related to the prescription of opioids and other
  controlled substances, including education regarding:
               (1)  reasonable standards of care;
               (2)  the identification of drug-seeking behavior in
  patients; and
               (3)  effectively communicating with patients regarding
  the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substance.
         (b)  A physician must complete the hours required by
  Subsection (a) in each of the first two renewal periods following
  the issuance of the physician's initial registration permit under
  this chapter, with two of those hours to be completed not later than
  the first anniversary of the date of issuance. 
         (c)  After the period described by Subsection (b), a
  physician must complete not less than two hours of continuing
  medical education described by Subsection (a) every eight years.
         (d)  The hours required by this section may be completed in
  any continuing medical education activity approved by the board,
  including medical ethics or professional responsibility education,
  and may be counted toward [and whose practice includes treating
  patients for pain is encouraged to include continuing medical
  education in pain treatment among] the hours of continuing medical
  education completed to comply with Section 156.051(a)(2).
         (e)  The hours required by this section may not be used to
  satisfy any education required by board rule for certified pain
  clinic personnel. 
         (f)  The board shall adopt rules to implement this section.
         (g)  Notwithstanding Subsections (b) and (c), a physician
  who on January 1, 2021, holds a license to practice medicine under
  this subtitle shall complete not less than two hours of continuing
  medical education described by Subsection (a) in each of the two
  renewal periods occurring after that date. This subsection expires
  January 1, 2026.
         SECTION 2.  Section 157.0513(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The board, the Texas Board of Nursing, and the Texas
  Physician Assistant Board shall jointly develop a process:
               (1)  to exchange information regarding the names,
  locations, and license numbers of each physician, advanced practice
  registered nurse, and physician assistant who has entered into a
  prescriptive authority agreement;
               (2)  by which each board shall immediately notify the
  other boards when a license holder of the board becomes the subject
  of an investigation involving the delegation and supervision of
  prescriptive authority, as well as the final disposition of any
  such investigation; [and]
               (3)  by which each board shall maintain and share a list
  of the board's license holders who have been subject to a final
  adverse disciplinary action for an act involving the delegation and
  supervision of prescriptive authority; and
               (4)  to ensure that each advanced practice registered
  nurse or physician assistant who has entered into a prescriptive
  authority agreement authorizing the prescribing of opioids is
  required to complete not less than two hours of continuing
  education annually regarding safe and effective pain management
  related to the prescription of opioids and other controlled
  substances, including education regarding:
                     (A)  reasonable standards of care;
                     (B)  the identification of drug-seeking behavior
  in patients; and
                     (C)  effectively communicating with patients
  regarding the prescription of an opioid or other controlled
  substance.
         SECTION 3.  Section 257.005, Occupations Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  The board shall require a licensed dentist whose
  practice includes direct patient care to complete not less than two
  hours of board-approved continuing education annually regarding
  safe and effective pain management related to the prescription of
  opioids and other controlled substances, including education
  regarding:
               (1)  reasonable standards of care;
               (2)  the identification of drug-seeking behavior in
  patients; and
               (3)  effectively communicating with patients regarding
  the prescription of an opioid or other controlled substance.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an application for renewal of a registration permit or license
  submitted on or after January 1, 2021. A renewal application
  submitted before January 1, 2021, is governed by the law in effect
  immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former
  law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2454 was passed by the House on May 2,
  2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 4, 1 present, not
  voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2454 was passed by the Senate on May
  22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
   
            _____________________
                   Governor