Latest news with #Bill378
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Botox party' bill scheduled for House vote
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Proposed legislation to enhance patient safety and tighten Texas laws over who can administer Botox injections — and similar treatments — is scheduled for a vote Monday. After a vote of 12-0 in the Texas House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee on May 10, Senate Bill 378 moved out of that House committee without any amendments. SB 378 passed the Senate in late March and was heard by the House committee on April 29. It was initially left pending in the Texas House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee after receiving nearly 50 written comments, most of which opposed the legislation. The comments included several from estheticians and injectors concerned about their small businesses being impacted. RELATED: 'Botox party' bill step closer to becoming Texas law The bill, authored by State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, pushes for patient safety and transparency and would prohibit estheticians, cosmetologists and barbers from administering injections and using prescriptive medical devices unless they are legally licensed and authorized to perform the acts. The legislation was filed after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone in Texas can become certified to do injections, including Botox. In May, KXAN's 'Backroom Botox' investigation highlighted the need for patient safety after a Botox treatment led to a medical emergency in the back room of a local boutique in Dublin, a city north of Austin. KXAN INVESTIGATION: Backroom Botox a 'wild west' in Texas After KXAN's investigation, Schwertner told KXAN investigators previously there have been increased reports of 'Botox parties' which include unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and family without proper supervision. According to the bill analysis, while the Texas Medical Board, or TMB, has disciplinary authority over physicians who are supposed to be authorizing the injections, current statute is 'silent' on both the TMB's and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's authority to pursue the licensed esthetician or cosmetologist who are in violation. RELATED: Texas pushes to tighten rules for Botox, similar Treatments The legislation would provide TDLR the authority to take disciplinary action against those administering unauthorized injections. KXAN will continue to update this story with any developments Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Botox party' bill step closer to becoming Texas law
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee heard Senate Bill 378 late Tuesday night. The proposed legislation pushes for patient safety and transparency on who can administer Botox injections and similar treatments. The bill authored by State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, was left pending in committee. It would prohibit estheticians, cosmetologists and barbers from administering injections and using prescriptive medical devices unless they are legally licensed and authorized to perform the acts. RELATED: 'The Botox party bill' moving forward in legislature The bill analysis states that, by law, estheticians and cosmetologist can only perform injections, including Botox, under the authority of a physician. Schwertner has told KXAN investigators previously that there have been increased reports of 'Botox parties' which include unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and family without proper supervision. The legislation would give the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation authority to take disciplinary action against those administering unauthorized injections. RELATED: Texas pushes to tighten rules for Botox, similar treatments According to the bill analysis, while the Texas Medical Board or TMB has disciplinary authority over physicians who are supposed to be authorizing the injections, current statute is 'silent' on both TMB and TDLR's authority to pursue the licensed esthetician or cosmetologist who are in violation. 'This bill ensures that only qualified medical professionals are providing these treatments. This can help prevent potential harm and adverse effects that can occur from unlicensed and unauthorized administration of injections,' said the bill analysis. The House committee received nearly 50 written comments with most opposing the legislation, including several from estheticians and injectors concerned about their small businesses being impacted. 'Please think of ME, a licensed esthetician who has 600 active injectable clients who trust me and only me with their face because I have immense knowledge and have sacrificed 5 years to this business,' said Morgan Mills, an esthetician and medical spa owner. Dacia Cahanin-Salinas, an aesthetic injector, wrote 'Senate Bill 378 doesn't protect public safety — it limits it,' adding that 'even licensed professionals — including physicians — must seek additional, non-traditional training to practice aesthetic injections safely.' She explained Texas should create a standardized, state-accredited training program with a required exam. 'Anyone — licensed or not — would be required to complete this training, prove their knowledge, and demonstrate safe technique before being allowed to inject,' Cahanin-Salinas wrote. 'When it comes to protecting Texans, competency matters more than credentials. Let's raise the standards — not build walls.' KXAN INVESTIGATION: Backroom Botox a 'wild west' in Texas The legislation was filed after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone in Texas can become certified to do injections, including Botox. In May, KXAN's 'Backroom Botox' investigation highlighted the need for patient safety after a Botox treatment led to a medical emergency in the backroom of a local boutique in Dublin, a city north of Austin. The Texas Senate passed Schwertner's bill in March. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maui housing conversion endeavor stalls
An effort to help alleviate Maui's dire shortage of affordable housing by having a state agency acquire and convert commercial buildings to partial residential use has come up short at this year's Legislature but still might produce results. The plan, proposed via Senate Bill 378, recently stalled in the House and failed to meet a Thursday procedural deadline needed for passage this year. However, the idea put forth in the bill could still lead to new affordable housing that is less costly to produce while also adding vibrancy and historical character to communities 20 months after a wildfire in Lahaina destroyed around 3, 500 homes. 'Out of the tragedy has come the opportunity to be very bullish about the fact that when Lahaina is rebuilt we can take the opportunity to create housing where the jobs are going to be, ' said Sen. Angus McKelvey, who introduced the bill with six other backers. McKelvey, who lost his home in the fire, did not propose buying land zoned for commercial use in Lahaina, but believes property owners in the West Maui town could rebuild what they lost and include homes above businesses that return. 'What's old is new again, ' said McKelvey (D, West Maui-Maalaea-South Maui ). 'This was how our towns were built on Maui back in the plantation days.' Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. SB 378 advanced fairly deep into this year's legislative session without public opposition. Despite stalling, the bill is not completely dead because it could be passed in 2026 in the second half of the 2025-2026 biennium. There is also a view among some stakeholders that creating a law from SB 378 isn't necessary to realize the intent of the measure. The bill proposes to form a working group to identify commercial or mixed-use properties on Maui that a state agency could buy and partly turn into affordable housing. 'By locating housing near workplaces, redevelopment supports worker retention, fosters community connections, and alleviates traffic congestion, thereby improving overall quality of life, ' the bill states. 'Additionally, reusing existing structures reduces environmental and financial costs associated with new construction while expediting the delivery of housing options, as many units are already built and ready for conversion.' The working group under the bill would be led by the board chair of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp., a state agency that helps finance development of affordable housing. HHFDC's board chair would head the proposed seven-member panel. Other members would include the director of Maui County's Department of Housing, the president of the Realtors Association of Maui and two Maui County residents with expertise, respectively, in redevelopment and mixed-use property financing. Alice Lee, chair of the Maui County Council, endorsed SB 378 in written testimony. 'Following the 2023 Maui wildfires, there is an urgent need to develop housing in Maui County to ensure an adequate housing inventory for displaced residents and the broader community, ' Lee wrote. 'Mixed-use developments allow residents to live near where they work and access essential services, helping to create vibrant, sustainable communities while reducing traffic congestion.' The Maui Chamber of Commerce also expressed strong support, and encouraged lawmakers to have work proceed without delay. 'The Chamber recognizes the critical need for more housing and understands that many individuals prefer to live close to their workplaces, making mixed-use developments a mutually beneficial solution, ' the organization said in written testimony. 'In light of the severe housing shortage in both the State and Maui County, we fully support measures that promote, rather than hinder, the development of housing for our residents.' HHFDC Director Dean Minakami also supports the bill, and said in written testimony that the effort has the potential to expand Maui's supply of affordable housing. The agency has some experience acquiring commercial real estate for residential use on Maui under an effort that began before the wildfire and was altered to provide fire survivors with a place to live in 2024. This project also was directed by the Legislature, which in May 2023 appropriated funding for HHFDC to buy a former 175-room hotel in Kihei that in recent decades had been used as a Christian missionary training center. Initially, the intent was for HHFDC to acquire the former Maui Sun Hotel so that Maui County could convert the property to teacher housing, affordable workforce housing and prekindergarten classrooms after major renovations. Instead, HHFDC bought what was most recently known as Haggai Institute for $38 million and began housing wildfire survivors in August after completing renovations to what is now named Hale 'o La 'ie. SB 378 sought to have the working group submit recommendations by the end of this year ahead of being dissolved shortly thereafter. Senators on March 4 voted 25-0 to send the bill to the House of Representatives for consideration. On March 14 the House Committee on Housing voted 7-0 vote to send the bill to the House Finance Committee for consideration, though no further action was taken, which prevents the bill from passing this year.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘The Botox party bill' moving forward in legislature
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Proposed legislation to enhance patient safety and tighten Texas laws over who can administer Botox injections — and similar treatments — passed the Senate Thursday morning and is moving forward in the legislative process. Senate Bill 378 from State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, who is also a medical doctor, was filed after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone can become certified to do injections, including Botox, and the need for more oversight for patient safety. RELATED: Texas pushes to tighten rules for Botox, similar treatments The Senate Business and Commerce Committee learned the details of Senate Bill 378 from Schwertner earlier this month before receiving a favorable vote from the committee on March 19 with '10 Ayes' and '0 Nays.' RELATED: 'The Botox party bill': Legislation introduced following KXAN's 'Backroom Botox' investigation 'There have been increased reports of these individuals administering unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and families without proper supervision or training,' Schwertner said Thursday morning on the Senate floor. In May, KXAN's 'Backroom Botox,' highlighted a medical emergency under investigation by the police department in Dublin, a small city north of Austin after a Botox procedure in the backroom of a local shop led to a young woman fainting, vomiting and seizing for five-minutes, according to the EMS report. If passed, the bill would prohibit estheticians, cosmetologists and barbers from administering injections and using prescriptive medical devices unless they are legally licensed and authorized to perform these acts. 'By law, estheticians and cosmetologists and barbers may only perform injections under the authority of a physician,' Schwertner said. Additionally, the bill would give the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation the statutory authority to take disciplinary action against those administering unauthorized injections. According to Schwertner, there is a 'lack of clarity' between TDLR and the Texas Medical Board over who has authority to discipline estheticians and cosmetologists in Texas, which has led to an inability to pursue actions against those administering unauthorized injections. 'This bill creates this regulatory oversight by clarifying in statute that TDLR has disciplinary authority over estheticians or cosmetologists or barbers in violation of their license,' Schwertner said. The next phase for 'The Botox party bill' will be with the House committee for a public hearing before being sent to the full House for a vote. KXAN will have updates to this story once those hearings have been held. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
