The State Board of Dental Examiners (Board) proposes amendments to §102.1, concerning the Board's fee schedule. The amendment adds an eight dollar licensure fee for dentists related to Senate Bill 195, to be paid to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy for operation of the prescription monitoring program.

Kelly Parker, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the proposed rule is in effect, there will not be any fiscal implications for local government as a result of enforcing or administering the amendments to the rule. Kelly Parker has determined that the fiscal implications for state government are no more than the changes to the relevant fees listed in the rule.

Ms. Parker has also determined that for the first five-year period the proposed rule is in effect, the public benefits anticipated as a result of administering this section will be to ensure that dentists are prescribing appropriately and give board investigators access to the prescription monitoring database to verify prescriptions written by dentists and determine if violations of the Dental Practice Act and board rules are occurring. Ms. Parker has determined that for the first five-year period the proposed rule is in effect, costs to persons or small businesses who are required to comply with the rule is no more than the relevant fees listed in the rule. There is no foreseeable impact on employment in any regional area where the rule is enforced or administered.

Comments on the proposed amendment may be submitted to Simone Salloum, Assistant General Counsel, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-800, Austin, Texas 78732, Fax (512) 463-7452, rulecomments@tsbde.texas.gov no later than 30 days from the date that the proposed rule is published in the Texas Register.

These amendments are proposed under Texas Occupations Code §254.001(a), which gives the Board authority to adopt rules necessary to perform its duties and ensure compliance with state laws relating to the practice of dentistry to protect the public health and safety. These amendments are also proposed under Texas Occupations Code §§101.307, 254.004(b) and (c), 257.002(d-1), Texas Government Code §2054.252(e), and Texas Health and Safety Code §467.0041, which give the Board authority to establish and charge fees.

No other statutes, articles, or codes are affected by the rule.