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Physicians Stand Up for Medicine During

the 88th Texas Legislative Session

By Lesley Viner, MS

Thank you to all Travis County Medical Society (TCMS) members who
participated in First Tuesdays at the Capitol, as well as those who took time
out of their busy practices to testify in legislative committee hearings in
support of or opposition to bills impacting patient care in Texas. Physician
involvement in grassroots advocacy is critical and makes a difference for both
patients and the profession of medicine.

TCMS physicians who testified in hearings on behalf of medicine include:

Louis Appel, MD Pradeep Kumar, MD Elisabeth Potter, MD
Tony Aventa, MD Marjan Linnell, MD Saba Rizvi, MD
Michelle Gallas, DO Ashley Lucke, MD Corrie Roehm, MD
Lauren Gambill, MD Anisha Malhotra, MD Alina Sholar, MD
Leah Harris, MD Maria Monge, MD Chad Whited, MD
Douglas Jeffrey, MD Donald Murphey, MD Margaret Whitney, MD
Thomas Kim, MD Debra Patt, MD Stuart Wolf, MD

This year’s “white coat invasion.”

Legislative Session Highlights
Organized medicine scored numerous wins for hospital privileges, regardless of hospital staff
physicians and patients this session, including protecting decision-making protocol;
scope of practice by preserving patients’ access to • Senate Bill 161 and its companion House Bill 724,
physician-led care—legislative priority number one for which would have prevented the Texas Medical
the Texas Medical Association (TMA) and TCMS. Board (TMB) from issuing cease-and-desist letters
Several bills related to scope creep were defeated to nonphysician practitioners engaged in practicing
including: outside their scope; and
• House Bill 4071 and its companion Senate Bill 1700, • Senate Bill 666, which would have limited the TMB’s
which would have enabled advanced practice authority and complaint process.
registered nurses (APRNs) to practice independently; Another top priority for this session was increasing
• House Bill 4404, which would have created an funding for graduate medical education (GME) in order
interstate compact for APRN licensure that overruled to broaden the physician workforce and subsequent access
Texas’ restrictions related to independent practice; to care for patients in Texas. Lawmakers agreed and
• House Bill 2553, which would have increased the budgeted $233 million to support GME expansion, the
days a patient can see a physical therapist without a creation of new residency slots, medical school tuition
referral from 15 business days to 20 business days; loan repayment programs, and telemedicine growth.
• House Bill 1105 and its companion Senate Bill 749, Other priority wins included the passing of House
which would have allowed pharmacists to administer Bill 12, which provides twelve months of postpartum
childhood vaccines; coverage for women on Medicaid and Senate Bill 379,
• HB 2079, which would have allowed pharmacists to which eliminates sales tax on diapers, menstrual supplies,
prescribe drugs for certain conditions including strep and many pregnancy-related items. House Bill 916
throat, COVID-19, and flu; requires Texas health plans to provide a year’s supply of
• Senate Bill 730 and its companion House Bill 1767, birth control to patients at one time. The legislature also
which would have allowed podiatrists to access approved a $50 million grant program to invest in rural

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