Rep. John W. Bryant introduced HB 4974, a bill on Occupational Regulation, to the Texas House on Thursday, March 13 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to the exclusion of a social worker license from the automatic revocation or denial of health care professional licenses for certain criminal offenses’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill amends Section 108.051(1) of the Texas Occupations Code to exclude social work licenses from automatic revocation or denial due to certain criminal offenses that typically affect health care professional licenses. The revised definition of “health care professional” under the code includes various licensed professions such as dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists but not social workers. The bill aims to protect social workers from automatic license penalties that apply to other listed health care roles, suggesting a need to differentiate the impact of criminal offenses on social workers compared to other medical professionals. The act is set to take effect Sept. 1, 2025.
John W. Bryant, a member of the House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services, proposed another 15 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Public Education.
Bryant graduated from Southern Methodist University, Dallas in 1969 with a BA and again in 1972 from Southern Methodist University School of Law with a JD.
John W. Bryant is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 114th House district. He replaced previous state representative John Turner in 2023.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | HB 4680 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the licensing and regulation of barber instructors and cosmetology instructors by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and to the composition of the Barbering and Cosmetology Advisory Board |
| 89(R) | HB 4039 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to eligibility of certain children for the subsidized child care program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission |
| 89(R) | HB 3247 | 02/24/2025 | Relating to electronic voter registration |
| 89(R) | HB 2997 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the temperature at which certain facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are maintained |
| 89(R) | HB 2758 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to certain statutory changes to reflect and address same-sex marriages and parenting relationships and to the removal of provisions regarding the criminality or unacceptability of homosexual conduct |
| 89(R) | HB 2606 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the unlawful acquisition, purchase, and transfer of certain weapons; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 2570 | 02/07/2025 | Relating to extreme risk protective orders and certain other protective orders prohibiting possession of a firearm; creating criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 2167 | 01/28/2025 | Relating to the creation of a gas inventory system by the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and the Railroad Commission of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 2166 | 01/28/2025 | Relating to the establishment of an independent market monitor for the natural gas market by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and an independent organization certified for a power region |
| 89(R) | HB 2127 | 01/27/2025 | Relating to a study of electricity demand response |
| 89(R) | HB 2126 | 01/27/2025 | Relating to the definition of drug paraphernalia and the criminal offense of possession or delivery of drug paraphernalia |
| 89(R) | HB 1924 | 01/16/2025 | Relating to employment restrictions for certain former county or municipal officers and employees |
| 89(R) | HB 1919 | 01/16/2025 | Relating to state liability for denial of health care services arising from laws limiting or prohibiting reproductive health care |
| 89(R) | HB 1355 | 11/15/2024 | Relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain individuals under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act |
| 89(R) | HB 1257 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the compensation of public school educators, the public school finance system, public school prekindergarten and kindergarten programs, and the school health and related services program |
| 88(2) | HB 62 | 07/06/2023 | Relating to providing school district property tax relief through rent-relief and through adjusting entitlements, compression, and exemptions under the public school finance system |
| 88(R) | HB 4706 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the establishment of an independent market monitor for the natural gas market by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and an independent organization certified for a power region |
| 88(R) | HB 4708 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to gas supply information provided to the independent organization certified for the ERCOT power region |
| 88(R) | HB 5026 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the definition of abuse of a child |
| 88(R) | HB 5029 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to imposing a surcharge on certain electric generators and gas producers |
| 88(R) | HB 5031 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to certain statutory changes to reflect and address same-sex marriages and parenting relationships and to the removal of provisions regarding the criminality or unacceptability of homosexual conduct |
| 88(R) | HB 5109 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the funding of prekindergarten |
| 88(R) | HB 5292 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to special education funding |
| 88(R) | HB 5297 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the interconnection of the ERCOT power grid to grids outside the ERCOT power region |
| 88(R) | HB 4394 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to increasing warehouse worker protections |
| 88(R) | HB 4678 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to establishing a social work recruitment and retention program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
| 88(R) | HB 4681 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the requirement that a public employer give notice to employees of the right to join certain labor organizations |
| 88(R) | HB 3996 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to regulating certain firearm transfers, possession of certain firearms, and protective orders prohibiting possession of a firearm; creating criminal offenses; increasing criminal penalties |
| 88(R) | HB 4032 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to the reporting of depositions by court reporters and the deposition transcripts |
| 88(R) | HB 4228 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to the system for appraising property for ad valorem tax purposes |
| 88(R) | HB 3869 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to the retirement eligibility of certain peace officers who are members of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
| 88(R) | HB 3930 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to grant programs established to support nursing education and training |
| 88(R) | HB 3700 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to an annual adjustment to the basic allotment and the guaranteed yield under the Foundation School Program to reflect inflation |
| 88(R) | HB 3710 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to the advertisement of prices by persons selling motor fuel |
| 88(R) | HB 3405 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to repairs made pursuant to a tenant’s notice of intent to repair and the refund of a tenant’s security deposit |
| 88(R) | HB 3422 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to the correction or removal of certain obsolete provisions of the Property Code |
| 88(R) | HB 3423 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to organization of, meetings of, and voting by condominium unit owners’ associations and property owners’ associations |
| 88(R) | HB 3426 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to providing inmates with state-issued identification on release or discharge |
| 88(R) | HB 3427 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to the ombudsman office for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice |
| 88(R) | HB 3428 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to certain employment restrictions for former county or municipal officers or employees |
| 88(R) | HB 3429 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to access to justice courts by legal aid offices or other providers of pro bono legal services |
| 88(R) | HB 3306 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the right of a residential tenant to cure default for nonpayment of rent |
| 88(R) | HB 3308 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the repeal of the prohibition against certain municipal or county regulation of the rental or leasing of housing accommodations |
| 88(R) | HB 3000 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to the repeal of certain laws prohibiting abortion and the construction of abortion laws imposing penalties or liability on pregnant individuals |
| 88(R) | HB 3004 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to the applicability of certain laws to assistance provided to an individual in obtaining an abortion outside of this state |
| 88(R) | HB 3008 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to the effect of the category of the motor vehicle dealer general distinguishing number issued by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and held by a person on the appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of the person’s motor vehicle inventory |
| 88(R) | HB 2950 | 02/27/2023 | Relating to the temperature at which certain facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are maintained |
