HB 3540 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the regulation of pharmacists and the practice of pharmacy, including the administration of a medication and the ordering and administration of an immunization or vaccination by a pharmacist.

HB 3540 expands pharmacists' authority in Texas to order and administer immunizations or vaccinations. It allows pharmacists to provide these services to patients aged three and older without a physician referral, and to administer them to younger patients under a physician's written protocol. The bill requires pharmacists to meet board-specified certification, education, and skill standards for immunization administration, and mandates notification to the prescribing healthcare provider after vaccination. This change directly affects pharmacists and patients seeking convenient vaccination access within pharmacy settings.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action May 16, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 6 edits · May 15, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates Texas pharmacy law to clarify that pharmacists can administer medications and immunizations, including vaccines. It expands pharmacist authority to administer immunizations to children under three years old under specific conditions and adds new requirements for physician supervision and patient notification. The bill also introduces a new requirement for pharmacists to inform parents about the importance of annual well-child visits.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of pharmacist practice to explicitly include administering immunizations and vaccinations, particularly for young children under three years of age who were previously not covered under the standard age threshold.
ELIGIBILITY

Changed the minimum age for pharmacist-administered immunizations from three years to three years for influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and to five years for other vaccines, with specific conditions.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for pharmacists to inform children receiving immunizations and their adult caregivers about the importance of annual well-child visits with a pediatrician or primary health care provider.

Added a new subsection requiring pharmacists to inform patients and caregivers about the importance of annual well-child visits.

Added requirements for physician supervision to include establishing a physician-patient relationship for patients under 14 years of age.

TIMELINE

Extended the notification deadline for pharmacists to notify physicians after administering immunizations from 24 hours to the third business day.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'practice of pharmacy' to explicitly include administering immunizations and vaccinations under specific conditions.

Floor votes · House May 15, 2025

How they voted

10335
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 144
May 15, 2025
D Democratic60
56 Yea 1 Nay 3
93% Yea
R Republican84
47 Yea 34 Nay 3
55% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
7
Committee
7
May 16, 2025
Committee
Referred to Health & Human Services
upper
May 16, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
May 15, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment
lower
May 8, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Public Health
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
3 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors