# Texas HB 879: Relating to the licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers. Texas HB 879, Relating to the licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers., is a 89th Legislature Regular Session House bill sponsored by James Frank, Brent Hagenbuch (Republican), Vincent Perez; status signed, last action 2025-05-28 (Effective on 9/1/25) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-HB879-89R - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Texas HB 879 - State: Texas - Session: 89th Legislature Regular Session - Title: Relating to the licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-11-12 - Last action: 2025-05-28, Effective on 9/1/25 - Sponsors: James Frank, Brent Hagenbuch (Republican), Vincent Perez - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: Health Care Providers, Military & Veterans, Occupational Regulation--Health Occupations, NURSES & NURSE AIDES, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, PHYSICIANS, MEDICAL BOARD, TEXAS, NURSING, TEXAS BOARD OF, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT BOARD, TEXAS - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (522 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New Texas licensing paths for military veterans: benefit, medium. Beginning September 1, 2025, Texas licensing boards must license qualifying veterans as physician assistants or nurses. Applicants must hold a current license in good standing in the same profession from another state. They must have retired or left military service no more than one year before app… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: James Frank, House - Sponsor: Brent Hagenbuch (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Vincent Perez, House - Cosponsor: César Blanco (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kevin Sparks (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-05-15 | Senate | Record vote | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2025-05-15 | Senate | Record vote | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2025-04-29 | House | Record vote | pass | 146 | 0 | | | 2025-04-28 | House | Record vote | pass | 146 | 1 | | | 2025-04-28 | House | Record vote | pass | 147 | 1 | | | | Senate | Committee vote: Health & Human Services | pass | 8 | 0 | | | | House | Committee vote: Public Health | pass | 13 | 0 | | ## Actions (56) - 2025-05-28: Effective on 9/1/25 (House) - 2025-05-28: Signed by the Governor (House) - 2025-05-20: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2025-05-16: Signed in the Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-16: Signed in the House (House) - 2025-05-15: Reported enrolled (House) - 2025-05-15: Senate passage reported (House) - 2025-05-15: Record vote (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Passed (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Record vote (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Three day rule suspended (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Vote recorded in Journal (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Rules suspended-Regular order of business (Senate) - 2025-05-15: Co-sponsor authorized (Senate) - 2025-05-14: Placed on intent calendar (Senate) - 2025-05-12: Committee report printed and distributed (Senate) - 2025-05-12: Recommended for local & uncontested calendar (Senate) - 2025-05-12: Reported favorably w/o amendments (Senate) - 2025-05-08: Vote taken in committee (Senate) - 2025-05-08: Considered in public hearing (Senate) - 2025-05-07: Left pending in committee (Senate) - 2025-05-07: Considered in public hearing (Senate) - 2025-05-07: Scheduled for public hearing on . . . (Senate) - 2025-05-07: Co-sponsor authorized (Senate) - 2025-04-30: Referred to Health & Human Services (Senate) - 2025-04-30: Read first time (Senate) - 2025-04-29: Received from the House (Senate) - 2025-04-29: Reported engrossed (House) - 2025-04-29: Record vote (RV#729) (House) - 2025-04-29: Passed (House) - 2025-04-29: Read 3rd time (House) - 2025-04-28: Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal (House) - 2025-04-28: Record vote (RV#623) (House) - 2025-04-28: Passed to engrossment as amended (House) - 2025-04-28: Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal (House) - 2025-04-28: Record vote (RV#622) (House) - 2025-04-28: Amended (1-Frank and Bucy) (House) - 2025-04-28: Read 2nd time (House) - 2025-04-25: Placed on General State Calendar (House) - 2025-04-22: Considered in Calendars (House) - 2025-04-16: Committee report sent to Calendars (House) - 2025-04-15: Committee report distributed (House) - 2025-04-15: Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator (House) - 2025-04-07: Reported favorably as substituted (House) - 2025-04-07: Committee substitute considered in committee (House) - 2025-04-07: Considered in public hearing (House) - 2025-03-17: Left pending in committee (House) - 2025-03-17: Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee (House) - 2025-03-17: Committee substitute considered in committee (House) - 2025-03-17: Considered in public hearing (House) - 2025-03-17: Scheduled for public hearing on . . . (House) - 2025-03-06: Referred to Public Health (House) - 2025-03-06: Read first time (House) - 2024-11-12: Filed (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879E.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879E.PDF) - Enrolled: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879F.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879F.PDF) - House Committee Report: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879H.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879H.PDF) - Introduced: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879I.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879I.PDF) - Senate Committee Report: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879S.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879S.PDF) ## Related bills - SB 2111: Relating to legal representation of indigent persons in this state and to proceedings before a magistrate including the appointment of counsel for an indigent… (vetoed) - SB 1838: Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certain attorneys ad litem in suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by… (vetoed) - SB 3: Relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; req… (vetoed) - SB 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court… (vetoed) - SB 646: Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans. (signed) - HB 4325: Relating to civil liability for prohibited barratry. (became law) ## Sources - [Engrossed (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879E.HTM) - [Engrossed (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879E.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879F.HTM) - [Enrolled (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879F.PDF) - [House Committee Report (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879H.HTM) - [House Committee Report (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879H.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879I.HTM) - [Introduced (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879I.PDF) - [Senate Committee Report (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00879S.HTM) - [Senate Committee Report (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00879S.PDF) ## Related - [SB 2111: Relating to legal representation of indigent persons in this state and to proce…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB2111-89R) - [SB 1838: Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certa…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB1838-89R) - [SB 3: Relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB3-89R) - [SB 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures re…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB2878-89R) - [SB 646: Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB646-89R) - [HB 4325: Relating to civil liability for prohibited barratry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-HB4325-89R) - [Texas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/texas/bills) - [Texas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/texas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-HB879-89R (as of 2026-10-19).