Monitoring the Session

SB 1442

bill allowing vet-client relationships by phone or electronic means

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16

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 establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Telehealth for pets and livestock, instead of a ban.

This bill lets a veterinarian form a legal vet-client-patient relationship by phone or electronic means, instead of banning that. It affects Texas veterinarians, pet and livestock owners, and animals seen through telehealth. Starting September 1, 2025, a vet could take on a new patient without first seeing the animal in person.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 72 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 72 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).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 5, 2025. Died in the House: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1442 · 2025-02-19

SOLD BY

Sen. Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16

ITEM

relating to the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

WHAT IT DOES

Telehealth for pets and livestock, instead of a ban.

This bill lets a veterinarian form a legal vet-client-patient relationship by phone or electronic means, instead of banning that. It affects Texas veterinarians, pet and livestock owners, and animals seen through telehealth. Starting September 1, 2025, a vet could take on a new patient without first seeing the animal in person.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 29, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  15. Record vote
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Record vote
  18. Three day rule suspended
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 27 yea · 4 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 5, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Nathan Johnson

Donors

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000Texas Sands PAC$130KMarguerite Hoffman$125,000

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 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000.00
Texas Sands PAC$129,500.00

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash
$129,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$129,500.00

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 · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Marguerite Hoffman$125,000.00
Money

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

×

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash
$129,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$129,500.00

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 · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Votes4

Senate May 5, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 5, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Johnson moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 1442 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 5, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 5, 2025

Yea
27
Nay
4
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Johnson moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 1442 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 1442, Relating to a study by the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners on establishing a veterinarian-client-patient relationship by telephone or electronic means. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 4.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 27 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses29
For
21
Against
7
On
1
Names

For

  • City of Dallas2 registrations
  • City of Houston1 registration
  • City of San Antonio1 registration
  • Self9 registrations
  • Self; Houston Pet Set1 registration
  • Self; Humane World for Animals1 registration
  • Self; Padfoot PAC1 registration
  • Self; Texas Humane Legislation Network2 registrations
  • Self; Texas humane legislation network1 registration
  • Self; Yaqui Animal Rescue1 registration
  • Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute1 registration

Against

  • Self4 registrations
  • Self; Texas Veterinary Medical Association1 registration
  • Texas Veterinary Medical Association2 registrations

On

  • TBVME1 registration
Sources

29 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 29, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

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

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 19, 2025

05/05/2025 H Received from the Senate

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

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

Senate committee · Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs · Committee vote 8 aye, 1 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 3364 by Lopez, Janie (identical)

Subjects

Animals

Interim Studies

Occupational Regulation--Health Occupations

VETERINARIANS

VETERINARY MEDICAL EXAMINERS, STATE BOARD OF

Text

The text as introduced · 72 words

89R7710 AND-F

By: Johnson
S.B. No. 1442

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a veterinarian-client-patient

relationship.

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

SECTION 1. Section 801.351(c), Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) A veterinarian-client-patient relationship may [ not ] be

established [ solely ] by telephone or electronic means.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.