Legislative Blog
J.B. Williams, J.D.
4 bills that modify the Occupations Code
A Blog about 88th Legislature Laws
A Bit of Background
The following backgrounds help summarize the author's views on both the general topic: Texas and more specifically 88th Legislature Laws as it relates to that topic.
Brief Summary of Texas
Texas is truly a Republic. There are a multitude of items that to modify the state constitution must be modified. So there are times when Constitutional amendments are on the voting ballots. While I sometimes abhor the wording, the concept that all of those legally able to vote in Texas must vote on the change is a good one. And bills in Texas are generally short, making it easier for everyone to understand.
Summary of 88th Legislature Laws
The blogs here will discuss the laws passed by Congress and signed into law, as well as those, passed by Congress and approved by the voters to become law. There are a multitude of laws and each time I post blogs I will notate here the current effective date if it is different from prior blogs. I am currently posting bills that took effect immediately - those bills total 336. I am currently posting regarding larger bills, so each blog covers a single bill.
Blog Summary
HB 1998
HB 2016
HB 2183 - Temporary jailers can only work for 2 years
HB 2259
4 bills that modify the Occupations Code
Published: 2026-02-24
Multiple short modifications
HB 1998 - 12 pages
The first change is to reduce the surcharge amount to just $15 to administer the Texas Physician Health Program. These fee surcharges are to be used for the administration of the Texas Physician Health Program.
There will be a separate surcharge for administering the query on the National Practitioner Data Bank. This query must be done to update a physician's profile. This profile includes any new report or any corrections to a report of disciplinary action; and to remove any disciplinary action that has been dismissed or voided.
When licensing a complete set of fingerprints must be provided. These will be submitted to the Texas Department of Public Safety to complete a criminal record check. A failure to provide the fingerprints is sufficient for suspension or refusal to renew.
A license must be refused for any applicant that previously held a license to practice medicine in another state and that license was revoked for something that would cause the license to be revoked in Texas. A disciplinary board may suspend or restrict a license of a person arrested for criminal homicide; trafficking of persons; sexual or assaultive offense that are sexual, lewd, or indecent and not a misdemeanor and are committed against a patient, child, elderly person or disabled person.
HB 2016 - 2 pages
Massage licenses cannot be held by someone convicted of, entering a plea of nolo contendere (no contest) or guilty, or received deferred adjudication for trafficking, or sexual offenses.
HB 2183 - 3 pages
Temporary jailers must begin training within 90 days and complete it within 1 year. If they are separated from their position as a temporary jailer, they may only be re-appointed if they were in good standing when separated. If a temporary jailer exceeds 2 years, they may complete their appointed time but then may not be appointed again until they have had 1 year of separation. Someone with an inactive license may be appointed on a temporary basis.
HB 2259 - 2 pages
Texas Department of Insurance must post a link to the commissions website for sale of fireworks permits.
Webpage created by and for J.B. Williams, J.D. - all rights reserved