Relating to the licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers.
ModeratePlan for compliance
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
Texas Medical Board • Texas Physician Assistant Board • Texas Board of Nursing
01
Compliance Analysis
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
Implementation Timeline
Effective Date: September 1, 2025
Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (Recruitment protocols must be active to capture eligible candidates immediately).
Agency Rulemaking: The enforcing boards must create specific application forms for this pathway. Expect proposed rules and draft forms between May and August 2025.
Immediate Action Plan
1.Audit Recruitment Pipelines: Identify candidates separating from the military in late 2024/2025 and flag them for this pathway.
2.Train HR on the "One-Year Hard Stop": Ensure recruiters understand that if an application is submitted 1 year and 1 day after separation, the expedited privilege is lost.
3.Monitor the Texas Register: Watch for the release of the specific "Military Veteran Expedited Application" forms in Summer 2025 to ensure the correct paperwork is utilized on Day 1.
4.Update Onboarding Packets: Include study materials or scheduling links for the Texas Jurisprudence Exam for out-of-state military hires.
Operational Changes Required
Contracts
Contingency Clauses: Update employment agreements and offer letters for military candidates. Include a clause stating: "Offer contingent upon successful licensure under HB879. Failure to apply within the statutory one-year post-separation window may result in revocation of this offer."
Start Dates: You may aggressively forecast start dates for these candidates, but they remain contingent on passing the Texas Jurisprudence Examination.
Hiring/Training
Recruitment Triage: Update Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to flag candidates who separated from the military within the last 12 months.
Credentialing Training: Staff must be trained to identify "Honorable Discharge" on DD-214 forms (Member 4 Copy). General or Other-Than-Honorable discharges legally disqualify the applicant from this specific pathway.
Jurisprudence Exam: The clinical exam is waived, but the Texas Jurisprudence Exam is mandatory. Schedule this immediately upon extending a conditional offer.
Reporting & Record-Keeping
Verification of Status: Credentialing files must contain proof that the applicant was authorized to practice medicine/nursing *at the time of separation*.
Background Checks: Pre-screen aggressively for criminal history. The statute strictly bars licensure for any felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. Do not rely on the Board to adjudicate this; a "hit" will likely cause a rejection of the expedited application.
Fees & Costs
No New Fees: Standard licensure fees apply.
Cost Savings: Reduces administrative overhead associated with long-term locum tenens or vacancy costs due to faster onboarding.
Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations
"Under Active Investigation": The statute allows Boards to deny licensure if an applicant is "under active investigation" in another jurisdiction. This is broad; a frivolous or administrative complaint in another state could stall the hire. Credentialing teams must ask candidates specifically about *open* complaints, not just finalized disciplinary actions.
"Moral Turpitude": The Boards retain discretion to define which misdemeanors constitute "moral turpitude." If a candidate has a minor criminal record, consult counsel before proceeding, as the expedited pathway may be unavailable to them.
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The Texas Hospital Association reports that there is an ongoing and increasing shortage of health care professionals in Texas and the bill author has also informed the committee that military personnel who have been providing health care to service members are retiring from military service, providing an opportunity to mitigate the health care personnel shortage. C.S.H.B. 879 seeks to create a narrow pathway for qualified military medical professionals who are retiring from active duty in Texas to remain here and provide health care services by establishing a process by which certain military veterans who have been trained as physicians and nurses can receive licensing to provide health care in Texas.
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
C.S.H.B. 879 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and the Texas Board of Nursing to issue a license to practice medicine and a license to practice nursing, respectively, to an applicant who:
·is licensed in good standing as a physician or nurse, as applicable, in another state;
·is a U.S. armed forces veteran who retired from or otherwise left military service not more than one year before the application date for a license issued under the bill's provisions;
·was, at the time of retiring from or leaving military service, serving on active duty in Texas and authorized as a physician or nurse to treat persons enlisted in the U.S. armed forces or veterans; and
·has passed the Texas medical jurisprudence examination or the jurisprudence examination, as applicable.
C.S.H.B. 879 prohibits the TMB and the Texas Board of Nursing from issuing a license under the bill's provisions to an applicant who, as follows:
·was discharged or separated from the U.S. armed forces on the basis of substandard conduct or for any act of misconduct or moral or professional dereliction;
·holds a medical or nursing license or a license to prescribe, dispense, administer, supply, or sell a controlled substance that is currently under active investigation or is or was subject to a disciplinary order or action or to denial by another jurisdiction; or
·has been convicted of, is on deferred adjudication community supervision or deferred disposition for, or is under active investigation for the commission of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
For purpose of the bill's provisions, U.S. armed forces means the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces, and active duty means current full-time military service in those forces.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.
COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B. 879 differs from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.
HB879 mandates the Texas Medical Board, Physician Assistant Board, and Board of Nursing to issue expedited licenses to qualifying military veterans, bypassing standard reciprocity delays. This legislation creates a strategic recruiting pathway for healthcare organizations, but eligibility is strictly limited to candidates applying within one year of their military separation. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (Recruitment protocols must be active to capture eligible candidates immediately).
Q
Who authored HB879?
HB879 was authored by Texas Representative James Frank during the Regular Session.
Q
When was HB879 signed into law?
HB879 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 28, 2025.
Q
Which agencies enforce HB879?
HB879 is enforced by Texas Medical Board, Texas Physician Assistant Board and Texas Board of Nursing.
Q
How urgent is compliance with HB879?
The compliance urgency for HB879 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
Q
What is the cost impact of HB879?
The cost impact of HB879 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
Q
What topics does HB879 address?
HB879 addresses topics including health care providers, military & veterans, nurses & nurse aides, physicians and medical board, texas.
Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025
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