BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 627

By: Zaffirini

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) ceased offering new provisional dietitian licenses in 2017; however, references to provisional licensed dietitians persist in current law, as well as an outdated and vague fitness requirement for dietitian license applicants. S.B. 627 would cure these defects by removing obsolete language and bringing the law into alignment with current TDLR dietitian licensure practices.

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. 627 amends the Occupations Code to remove the fitness of applicants for a dietician license from the requirement for the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) or the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to, as appropriate, adopt and publish a code of ethics, establish the qualifications and fitness of applicants for dietician licenses, including renewed and reciprocal licenses, and request and receive any necessary assistance from state educational institutions or other state agencies.

S.B. 627 removes the title "provisional licensed dietician" from the titles for which a person is required to have an appropriate dietician license.

S.B. 627 specifies that the administrative penalty that a person fails to pay and for which TCLR or TDLR may refuse to renew the license of such a person is imposed against the person under certain statutory provisions and specifies that those provisions are provisions relating to administrative penalties.

S.B. 627 repeals provisions that do the following:

· define "provisional licensed dietitian" as a person provisionally licensed under statutory provisions relating to dieticians;

· require TDLR to prepare a registry of licensed dietitians and provisional licensed dietitians and make the registry available to the public, license holders, and appropriate state agencies; and

· requires the State Office of Administrative Hearings to use the schedule of sanctions adopted by TCLR by rule for a sanction imposed as the result of a hearing conducted by the office.

S.B. 627 repeals the following provisions of the Occupations Code:

· Section 701.002(9);

· Section 701.1511; and

· Section 701.403.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.