LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 87TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 20, 2021

TO:
Honorable Donna Campbell, Chair, Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Border Security
 
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
HB548 by Frank (relating to the temporary licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers to practice in underserved areas.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill amends the Occupations Code as it relates to the licensing of health care providers. The bill directs the Texas Medical Board and the Texas Board of Nursing to issue temporary, non-renewable Texas licenses to veterans of the armed forces who possess licensure in good standing from another state and that meet additional specific criteria related to their military service and criminal records. The bill restricts the practice of physicians or nurses licensed under these provisions to health professional shortage areas or medically underserved communities as defined in statute.

The Texas Medical Board and the Board of Nursing anticipate that implementing the provisions within the bill would increase licensure activity which may result in additional costs to the agency. It is assumed that these costs associated with the bill's licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers to practice in underserved areas could be absorbed using existing agency resources. 

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
503 Texas Medical Board, 507 Texas Board of Nursing
LBB Staff:
JMc, SLE, EJ, AKI, MB