HB 879 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the licensing of certain military veterans as health care providers.

HB 879 creates a new pathway for military veterans to obtain medical licenses in Texas. It allows veterans who retired from active duty within the past year and served as physicians or physician assistants treating military personnel or veterans to apply for a Texas license, provided they have an honorable discharge and pass the state jurisprudence exam. The bill specifically requires applicants to have been authorized in their military role to treat service members or veterans at the time of retirement. This policy change, effective September 1, 2025, directly affects recently separated military medical personnel seeking to practice in Texas.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Signed May 28, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed → Enrolled · 3 edits · May 28, 2025

MINOR

The bill text was converted from an 'Engrossed' version to an 'Enrolled' version, which is the final version signed into law. The substantive policy content regarding veteran licensing for physicians, physician assistants, and nurses remains unchanged. The primary differences are formatting, spacing, and the addition of certification signatures and dates indicating the bill was passed and approved.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was updated from 'Engrossed' to 'Enrolled' to reflect its final status after being signed by the Governor.

Signatures and certification dates for the House and Senate passage, along with the Governor's approval, were added to the end of the document.

Formatting inconsistencies, such as extra line breaks and spacing, were cleaned up in the final enrolled version.

Floor votes · House Apr 28, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 28, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

May 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed in the Senate

upper

May 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed in the House

lower

May 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate passage reported

lower

May 15, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

May 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

May 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendments

upper

May 8, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

May 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health & Human Services

upper

Apr 30, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment as amended

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

Apr 28, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (145-1)

house

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Mar 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to Public Health

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

2 primary · 3 co-sponsors