BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1502

By: Buckingham

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Previous legislation enacted in 2017 sought to address burdensome regulations imposed by the Texas Medical Board (TMB), which required physicians to undergo an additional recertification process known as maintenance of certification in order to maintain their national board certifications. Physicians licensed in Texas are already required to meet rigorous testing and continuing medical education standards, including specific training related to a physician's specialty, and this additional step was seen as unnecessary. However, it has been reported that, despite the passage of that legislation, the TMB still takes into account a physician's maintenance of certification. S.B. 1502 seeks to address this issue and establish that a physician's initial board certification is sufficient to be considered a board certified specialist for purposes of state licensure.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1502 amends the Occupations Code to require a determination by the Texas Medical Board (TMB) regarding whether a physician is specialty board certified to be based on the physician's initial specialty board certification by a specialty board organization acceptable to the TMB. The bill prohibits the determination from being based on the physician's maintenance of certification after that initial specialty board certification.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.