2019 TPMA Legislative Day Recap
April 10, 2019
On April 3, 2019, TPMA President, Dr. Jeff Ross, led the TPMA Legislative Day in Austin. The legislative team supported and answered questions on HB 2593 and SB 1533, which protects the health safety and welfare of the patients we serve in regard to persons who administer radiation to our patients.
We all owe a sincere thanks to the TPMA members who attended and represented us and worked to protect each of our practices.
Richard Bellacosa, DPM
Chris Bowers, DPM
Paul Brancheau, DPM
Cory Brown, DPM
Chris Browning, DPM
Maria Buitrago, DPM
Neil Campbell, DPM
Brian Carpenter, DPM
Lacey Clawson, DPM
Richard Galperin, DPM
Lawrence Harkless, DPM
Shine John, DPM
Scott Margolis, DPM
Joe Martin, DPM
Kathren McCarty, DPM
Jon McCreary, DPM
Jim Miller, DPM
David Minchey, DPM
Braden Moore, DPM
David Northcutt, DPM
Jeffrey Ross, DPM
David Sadoskas, DPM
James Townson, DPM
Steven Walters, DPM
Mark Whitesides, DPM
All members of both the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and the House Public Health Committee were visited and educated on our position. Handouts on the bills were given to each of them. TPMA members also visited many other Senate and House members, whom they are represented by in their districts.
Senate Health & Human Services Committee
Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair
Senator Charles Perry, Vice Chair
Senator Dawn Buckingham
Senator Donna Campbell
Senator Peter P. Flores
Senator Nathan Johnson
Senator Borris L.Miles
Senator Beverly Powell
Senator Kel Seliger
House Public Health Committee
Representative Senfronia Thompson, Chair
Representative John Wray, Vice Chair
Representative Steve Allison
Representative Garnet Coleman
Representative James B. Frank
Representative R. D. “Bobby” Guerra
Representative Eddie Lucio, III
Representative Evelina “Lina” Ortega
Representative Four Price
Representative J. D. Sheffield
Representative Bill Zedler
The House Public Health Committee met on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 and considered HB 2593 by Representative Garnet Coleman. The purpose of this legislation is to clarify that (1) persons who perform podiatric radiologic procedures at the direction of a podiatrist are regulated by TDLR and (2) podiatrists may delegate certain podiatric medical acts to a qualified and properly trained podiatric medical assistant. Dr. Joe Martin and Dr. Larry Harkless testified in favor of the bill. The Members of the Committee did not ask any questions . . . and there was no testimony in opposition to the bill. We anticipate that HB 2593 will be reported out of the Public Health Committee favorably this week and then sent to the House Calendars Committee . . . which will schedule the bill for consideration by the full House.
The bills have credible momentum, but we will need your help in contacting your legislators once they are scheduled for consideration. We will keep you updated when this occurs.
These bills are very important to our profession. Please take the above steps to ensure that it becomes law.
View photos from Legislative Day
Sincerely,
Brian Carpenter, DPM
TPMA Executive Director
