S.B. No. 1625

	AN ACT
	relating to the Texas Physician Assistant Board and the licensing
	and regulation of physician assistants.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 157.0512, Occupations Code, is amended
	by amending Subsections (e) and (f) and adding Subsection (f-1) to
	read as follows:
	(e)  A prescriptive authority agreement must, at a minimum:
	(1)  be in writing and signed and dated by the parties
	to the agreement;
	(2)  state the name, address, and all professional
	license numbers of the parties to the agreement;
	(3)  state the nature of the practice, practice
	locations, or practice settings;
	(4)  identify the types or categories of drugs or
	devices that may be prescribed or the types or categories of drugs
	or devices that may not be prescribed;
	(5)  provide a general plan for addressing consultation
	and referral;
	(6)  provide a plan for addressing patient emergencies;
	(7)  state the general process for communication and
	the sharing of information between the physician and the advanced
	practice registered nurse or physician assistant to whom the
	physician has delegated prescriptive authority related to the care
	and treatment of patients;
	(8)  if alternate physician supervision is to be
	utilized, designate one or more alternate physicians who may:
	(A)  provide appropriate supervision on a
	temporary basis in accordance with the requirements established by
	the prescriptive authority agreement and the requirements of this
	subchapter; and
	(B)  participate in the prescriptive authority
	quality assurance and improvement plan meetings required under this
	section; and
	(9)  describe a prescriptive authority quality
	assurance and improvement plan and specify methods for documenting
	the implementation of the plan that include [includes] the
	following:
	(A)  chart review, with the number of charts to be
	reviewed determined by the physician and advanced practice
	registered nurse or physician assistant; [and]
	(B)  if the agreement is between a physician and
	an advanced practice registered nurse, periodic face-to-face
	meetings between the advanced practice registered nurse [or
	physician assistant] and the physician at a location determined by
	the physician and the advanced practice registered nurse; and
	(C)  if the agreement is between a physician and a
	physician assistant, periodic meetings between the physician
	assistant and the physician [or physician assistant].
	(f)  The periodic face-to-face meetings described by
	Subsection (e)(9)(B) must:
	(1)  include:
	(A)  the sharing of information relating to
	patient treatment and care, needed changes in patient care plans,
	and issues relating to referrals; and
	(B)  discussion of patient care improvement; and
	(2)  be documented and occur:
	(A)  except as provided by Paragraph (B):
	(i)  at least monthly until the third
	anniversary of the date the agreement is executed; and
	(ii)  at least quarterly after the third
	anniversary of the date the agreement is executed, with monthly
	meetings held between the quarterly meetings by means of a remote
	electronic communications system, including videoconferencing
	technology or the Internet; or
	(B)  if during the seven years preceding the date
	the agreement is executed the advanced practice registered nurse
	[or physician assistant] for at least five years was in a practice
	that included the exercise of prescriptive authority with required
	physician supervision:
	(i)  at least monthly until the first
	anniversary of the date the agreement is executed; and
	(ii)  at least quarterly after the first
	anniversary of the date the agreement is executed, with monthly
	meetings held between the quarterly meetings by means of a remote
	electronic communications system, including videoconferencing
	technology or the Internet.
	(f-1)  The periodic meetings described by Subsection
	(e)(9)(C) must:
	(1)  include:
	(A)  the sharing of information relating to
	patient treatment and care, needed changes in patient care plans,
	and issues relating to referrals; and
	(B)  discussion of patient care improvement;
	(2)  be documented; and
	(3)  take place at least once a month in a manner
	determined by the physician and the physician assistant.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 204.0585 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.0585.  EXECUTIVE SESSION. After hearing all
	evidence and arguments in an open meeting, the physician assistant
	board may conduct deliberations relating to a license application
	or disciplinary action in an executive session. The board shall
	vote and announce its decision in open session.
	SECTION 3.  Section 204.059, Occupations Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(b)  The training program must provide the person with
	information regarding:
	(1)  the law governing physician assistant board
	operations;
	(2)  the [this chapter and the physician assistant
	board's] programs, functions, rules, and budget of the physician
	assistant board;
	(3)  the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
	authority of the physician assistant board;
	(4) [(2)]  the results of the most recent formal audit
	of the physician assistant board;
	(5) [(3)]  the requirements of:
	(A)  laws relating to open meetings, public
	information, administrative procedure, and disclosing conflicts of
	interest; and
	(B)  other laws applicable to members of the
	physician assistant board in performing their duties; and
	(6) [(4)]  any applicable ethics policies adopted by
	the physician assistant board or the Texas Ethics Commission.
	(d)  The executive director of the medical board shall create
	a training manual that includes the information required by
	Subsection (b). The executive director shall distribute a copy of
	the training manual annually to each physician assistant board
	member. On receipt of the training manual, each board member shall
	sign and submit to the executive director a statement acknowledging
	receipt of the training manual.
	SECTION 4.  Subchapter D, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 204.1525 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.1525.  CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION
	REQUIREMENT FOR LICENSE ISSUANCE. (a)  The physician assistant
	board shall require that an applicant for a license submit a
	complete and legible set of fingerprints, on a form prescribed by
	the board, to the board or to the Department of Public Safety for
	the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information from
	the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of
	Investigation.
	(b)  The physician assistant board may not issue a license to
	a person who does not comply with the requirement of Subsection (a).
	(c)  The physician assistant board shall conduct a criminal
	history record information check of each applicant for a license
	using information:
	(1)  provided by the individual under this section; and
	(2)  made available to the board by the Department of
	Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and any other
	criminal justice agency under Chapter 411, Government Code.
	(d)  The physician assistant board may:
	(1)  enter into an agreement with the Department of
	Public Safety to administer a criminal history record information
	check required under this section; and
	(2)  authorize the Department of Public Safety to
	collect from each applicant the costs incurred by the Department of
	Public Safety in conducting the criminal history record information
	check.
	SECTION 5.  Section 204.153(a), Occupations Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  To be eligible for a license under this chapter, an
	applicant must:
	(1)  successfully complete an educational program for
	physician assistants or surgeon assistants accredited by the
	Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation or by that
	committee's predecessor or successor entities;
	(2)  pass the Physician Assistant National Certifying
	Examination administered by the National Commission on
	Certification of Physician Assistants;
	(3)  hold a certificate issued by the National
	Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants;
	(4)  [be of good moral character;
	[(5)]  meet any other requirement established by
	physician assistant board rule; and
	(5) [(6)]  pass a jurisprudence examination approved
	by the physician assistant board as provided by Subsection (a-1).
	SECTION 6.  Section 204.156, Occupations Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
	follows:
	(a)  A license issued under this chapter is valid for a term
	of two or more years, as determined by physician assistant board
	rule.
	(a-1)  On notification from the physician assistant board, a
	person who holds a license under this chapter may renew the license
	by:
	(1)  paying the required renewal fee;
	(2)  submitting the appropriate form; and
	(3)  meeting any other requirement established by board
	rule.
	SECTION 7.  Subchapter D, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 204.1561 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.1561.  CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION
	REQUIREMENT FOR RENEWAL. (a)  An applicant for renewal of a
	license issued under this chapter shall submit a complete and
	legible set of fingerprints for purposes of performing a criminal
	history record information check of the applicant as provided by
	Section 204.1525.
	(b)  The physician assistant board may administratively
	suspend or refuse to renew the license of a person who does not
	comply with the requirement of Subsection (a).
	(c)  A license holder is not required to submit fingerprints
	under this section for the renewal of the license if the holder has
	previously submitted fingerprints under:
	(1)  Section 204.1525 for the initial issuance of the
	license; or
	(2)  this section as part of a prior renewal of a
	license.
	SECTION 8.  Subchapter D, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 204.158 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.158.  REFUSAL FOR VIOLATION OF BOARD ORDER. The
	physician assistant board may refuse to renew a license issued
	under this chapter if the license holder is in violation of a
	physician assistant board order.
	SECTION 9.  Subchapter E, Chapter 204, Occupations Code, is
	amended by adding Section 204.210 to read as follows:
	Sec. 204.210.  PROTECTION FOR REFUSAL TO ENGAGE IN CERTAIN
	CONDUCT. (a)  A person may not suspend, terminate, or otherwise
	discipline, discriminate against, or retaliate against:
	(1)  a physician assistant who refuses to engage in an
	act or omission as provided by Subsection (b); or
	(2)  a person who advises a physician assistant of the
	physician assistant's rights under this section.
	(b)  A physician assistant may refuse to engage in an act or
	omission relating to patient care that would constitute grounds for
	reporting the physician assistant to the physician assistant board
	under Section 204.208 or that violates this chapter or a rule
	adopted under this chapter if the physician assistant notifies the
	person at the time of the refusal that the reason for refusing is
	that the act or omission:
	(1)  constitutes grounds for reporting the physician
	assistant to the physician assistant board; or
	(2)  is a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted
	under this chapter.
	(c)  An act by a person under Subsection (a) does not
	constitute a violation of this section if a medical peer review
	committee determines:
	(1)  that the act or omission the physician assistant
	refused to engage in was not:
	(A)  conduct reportable to the physician
	assistant board under Section 204.208; or
	(B)  a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted
	under this chapter; or
	(2)  that:
	(A)  the act or omission in which the physician
	assistant refused to engage was conduct reportable to the physician
	assistant board or a violation of this chapter or a rule adopted
	under this chapter; and
	(B)  the person:
	(i)  rescinds any disciplinary or
	discriminatory action taken against the physician assistant;
	(ii)  compensates the physician assistant
	for any lost wages; and
	(iii)  restores to the physician assistant
	any lost benefits.
	(d)  A physician assistant's rights under this section may
	not be nullified by a contract.
	(e)  An appropriate licensing agency may take action against
	a person who violates this section.
	SECTION 10.  Section 204.313(a), Occupations Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(a)  In an informal meeting under Section 204.312, at least
	two panelists shall be appointed to determine whether an informal
	disposition is appropriate. At least one of the panelists must be a
	licensed physician assistant.
	SECTION 11.  Section 157.0512, Occupations Code, as amended
	by this Act, applies only to a prescriptive authority agreement
	entered into on or after the effective date of this Act.  An
	agreement entered into before the effective date of this Act is
	governed by the law in effect on the date the agreement was entered
	into, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 12.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
	this section, Section 204.059, Occupations Code, as amended by this
	Act, applies to a member of the Texas Physician Assistant Board
	appointed before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
	(b)  A member of the Texas Physician Assistant Board who,
	before the effective date of this Act, completed the training
	program required by Section 204.059, Occupations Code, as that law
	existed before the effective date of this Act, is only required to
	complete additional training on the subjects added by this Act to
	the training program required by Section 204.059, Occupations Code.
	A board member described by this subsection may not vote,
	deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of
	the board held on or after December 1, 2017, until the member
	completes the additional training.
	SECTION 13.  Not later than September 1, 2019, the Texas
	Physician Assistant Board shall obtain criminal history record
	information on each person who, on the effective date of this Act,
	holds a license issued under Chapter 204, Occupations Code, and did
	not undergo a criminal history record information check based on
	the license holder's fingerprints on the initial application for
	the license.  The Texas Physician Assistant Board may suspend the
	license of a license holder who does not provide the criminal
	history record information as required by the board and this
	section.
	SECTION 14.  Section 204.210, Occupations Code, as added by
	this Act, applies only to an act or omission that occurs on or after
	the effective date of this Act.  An act or omission that occurs
	before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
	effect on the date the act or omission occurred, and the former law
	is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 15.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1625 passed the Senate on
	May 10, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0;
	May 25, 2017, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 26, 2017, House
	granted request of the Senate; May 28, 2017, Senate adopted
	Conference Committee Report by the following vote:  Yeas 31,
	Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1625 passed the House, with
	amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145,
	Nays 0, two present not voting; May 26, 2017, House granted request
	of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
	May 28, 2017, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
	following vote:  Yeas 117, Nays 29, two present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor