Monitoring the Session

HB 5233

bill ending repeat fees for social worker exam retakes

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Charlene Ward JohnsonDHouse 139

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the examination required for licensing as a social worker.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Pay once, retake as many times as needed.

The bill says a person applying for a Texas social worker license who pays the application or exam fee once does not have to pay again to retake the licensing exam. It also lets the applicant retake the exam as many times as needed to pass. This touches social worker license applicants and the state licensing system, which loses repeat exam fees starting with exams taken on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 148 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 148 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Human Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5233 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Charlene Ward JohnsonDHouse 139

ITEM

relating to the examination required for licensing as a social worker.

WHAT IT DOES

Pay once, retake as many times as needed.

The bill says a person applying for a Texas social worker license who pays the application or exam fee once does not have to pay again to retake the licensing exam. It also lets the applicant retake the exam as many times as needed to pass. This touches social worker license applicants and the state licensing system, which loses repeat exam fees starting with exams taken on or after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Human Services
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Charlene Ward Johnson

Donors

Texas Sands PAC$33KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$33KLegacy 44$25K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 5, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Sands PAC$33,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$33,000.00

Cash
$33,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$33,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to Jan 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100981582, 101039497.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$32,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Sep 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101008678, 101031228, 101035430, 101039497, 101068178.

Legacy 44$25,343.19

Legacy 44

$25,343.19

Cash
$4,500.00
Paid by others
$20,843.19
Total
$25,343.19
Other filed descriptions $10,000.00mailer $9,036.44digital $1,806.75

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 9, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100981582, 101031228, 101039497, 101073019.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$33,000.00

Cash
$33,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$33,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to Jan 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100981582, 101039497.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Sep 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101008678, 101031228, 101035430, 101039497, 101068178.

×

Legacy 44

$25,343.19

Cash
$4,500.00
Paid by others
$20,843.19
Total
$25,343.19
Other filed descriptions $10,000.00mailer $9,036.44digital $1,806.75

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 9, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100981582, 101031228, 101039497, 101073019.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to Human Services: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Human Services · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Fees & Other Nontax Revenue--State

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

SOCIAL WORK & SOCIAL WORKERS

Text

The text as introduced · 148 words

89R12412 DNC-D

By: Ward Johnson
H.B. No. 5233

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the examination required for licensing as a social

worker.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 505.354, Occupations Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(f) An applicant who pays an application or examination fee

to take an examination under this chapter is not required to pay an

additional application or examination fee to retake the

examination. The applicant may retake the examination as many

times as necessary to pass the examination.

SECTION 2. Section 505.354(f), Occupations Code, as added

by this Act, applies to an applicant for a license under Chapter

505, Occupations Code, who takes an examination under that chapter

on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.