SB968

Regular Session

Relating to the licensing and regulation of the practice of podiatry.

ModeratePlan for compliance

Low Cost

Effective:2025-09-01

Enforcing Agencies

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) • Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR)

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 (All new applicants must utilize the "Residency License" pathway; legacy forms will be rejected).
Agency Rulemaking: The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) must update 16 TAC Chapter 130 prior to September 1 to define the criteria and validity period of the new license. Monitor the *Texas Register* between May and August 2025 for these rules.

Immediate Action Plan

Audit Insurance: Contact your liability carrier today to secure an endorsement extending coverage to "Residency License" holders.
Revise Templates: Update employment contracts to make obtaining a "Residency License" a condition of employment for new hires.
Monitor Rules: Subscribe to TDLR updates to catch the release of the new application forms and the definition of the license "validity period."
Train Staff: Instruct credentialing teams that "Provisional Licenses" are repealed and cannot be processed for start dates after September 1.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

Review all Resident Employment Agreements and Offer Letters for the 2025-2026 cohort. You must replace references to "Temporary License" (Sec. 202.259) and "Provisional License" (Sec. 202.260) with "Residency License." Additionally, contact your malpractice carrier to ensure your policy definition of "Insured" explicitly covers the new "Residency License" classification.

Hiring/Training

Update onboarding checklists immediately. Credentialing staff must be trained to reject legacy "Temporary License" applications for any start dates occurring on or after September 1, 2025. Staff must verify that new hires possess the correct "Residency License" to ensure valid billing and liability coverage.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

Segregate your provider rosters into "Legacy Temporary" (issued pre-9/1/25) and "New Residency" categories. The law contains a grandfather clause allowing existing Temporary Licenses to remain valid until expiration, meaning you will manage a mixed fleet of credentials for the next 12-36 months.

Fees & Costs

No statutory fee increases are mandated by this bill. However, anticipate administrative costs associated with updating legal templates and securing insurance riders.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

The statute grants TCLR broad discretion to establish the "maximum period" a Residency License remains valid. If TCLR sets a duration shorter than standard residency program lengths (e.g., 3 years) via rulemaking, it could create mid-program licensure gaps. You must monitor the proposed rules to ensure the validity period aligns with your residency program duration.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

TopicsOccupational Regulation Occupational Regulation--health Occupations Podiatrists & Podiatry Licensing & Regulation, Texas Commission of

Official Analysis

View HRO Analysis View All Bill Documents

BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 968
89R5474 DNC-F	By: Zaffirini
	Health & Human Services
	3/28/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In 2017 podiatrist licensing was moved from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR.) This change caused some of the regulations for TDLR to become outdated and not aligned with the department's general practices.

Currently, the only "temporary" license for podiatry is the "temporary residency license," required for persons enrolled in an accredited Graduate Podiatric Medical Education program (residency program.) The use of the term "temporary license" in statutes and regulations can lead to confusion, as these licenses should be more accurately known as residency licenses. Accordingly, S.B. 968 would replace "temporary license" with "residency license" to reduce confusion and clarify the licensure requirement during residency.

Under DSHS, the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners (TSBPME) acted as the policymaking board for podiatry. After the transition, the rules for the new policymaking body, the Podiatric Medical Examiners Advisory Board, were not updated to align with TDLR's practices. To address this issue, S.B. 968 would repeal outdated provisions and align the board's training requirements with TDLR's standards.

Provisional licenses, previously issued by TSBPME to out-of-state podiatrists awaiting the Podiatry Jurisprudence Exam, are now obsolete because the exam is available on-demand. S.B. 968 would eliminate provisional licenses, which have not been issued since TDLR assumed responsibility in 2017.

As proposed, S.B. 968 amends current law relating to the licensing and regulation of the practice of podiatry.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority previously granted to Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 202.259, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 202.259, Occupations Code, as follows:

Sec. 202.259. New heading: RESIDENCY LICENSE. (a) Authorizes the Texas Commission on Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) by rule to adopt a procedure for the issuance of a residency license to an applicant. Deletes existing text authorizing TCLR by rule to adopt a procedure for the issuance of a temporary license to an applicant other than an applicant for a provisional license under Section 202.260 (Provisional License).

(b) Makes conforming changes to this subsection.�

SECTION 2. Repealers: Sections 202.061 (Limited License for Podiatry Faculty Members) and 202.060 (Provisional License), Occupations Code.

SECTION 3. Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Section 202.259, Occupations Code, does not affect the validity of a license issued under that section before the effective day of this Act. Provides that a license issued under that section before the effective date of this Act that is in effect on that date expires according to the term provided on the date of issuance, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.

Senate Authors

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDemocrat · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. Charles CunninghamRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

S.B. No. 968

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

	AN ACT
	relating to the licensing and regulation of the practice of
	podiatry.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Section 202.259, Occupations Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 202.259. RESIDENCY [~~TEMPORARY~~] LICENSE. (a) The
	commission by rule may adopt a procedure for the issuance of a
	residency [~~temporary~~] license to an applicant [~~other than an~~
	~~applicant for a provisional license under Section 202.260~~].
	(b) Rules adopted under this section must establish:
	(1) the criteria for issuance of a residency
	[~~temporary~~] license; and
	(2) a maximum period during which a residency
	[~~temporary~~] license is valid.
	SECTION 2. The following provisions of the Occupations Code
	are repealed:
	(1) Section 202.061; and
	(2) Section 202.260.
	SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section
	202.259, Occupations Code, does not affect the validity of a
	license issued under that section before the effective date of this
	Act. A license issued under that section before the effective date
	of this Act that is in effect on that date expires according to the
	term provided on the date of issuance, and the former law is
	continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


March 30, 2025

TO:	Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	SB968 by Zaffirini (Relating to the licensing and regulation of the practice of podiatry.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

452 Department of Licensing and Regulation

LBB Staff:

JMc, NPe, BFa

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB968

What does Texas SB968 do?

SB968 consolidates podiatric training credentials by eliminating "Temporary" and "Provisional" licenses, replacing them with a single "Residency License" effective September 1, 2025. Hospitals, podiatric practices, and residency programs must immediately update credentialing protocols, insurance endorsements, and employment contracts to align with this new statutory nomenclature to avoid staffing delays for the incoming cohort. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025.

Who authored SB968?

SB968 was authored by Texas Senator Judith Zaffirini during the Regular Session.

When was SB968 signed into law?

SB968 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Which agencies enforce SB968?

SB968 is enforced by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR).

How urgent is compliance with SB968?

The compliance urgency for SB968 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

What is the cost impact of SB968?

The cost impact of SB968 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

What topics does SB968 address?

SB968 addresses topics including occupational regulation, occupational regulation--health occupations, podiatrists & podiatry and licensing & regulation, texas commission of.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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