TDLR Releases 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, Announces Goals and Legislative Priorities for 2025 Legislative Session

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation released its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan and Supplemental Schedule which can be found at https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/StratPlan/2024/TDLR-Strategic-Plan-FY-2025-29.pdf and https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/StratPlan/2024/TDLR-Strategic-Plan-FY-2025-29-Supplemental-Schedules.pdf.

The plan is the result of months of effort and input from licensees and other stakeholders. During this process, TDLR collected more than 6,000 public comments that were essential to the agency’s efforts to continue improving services.

The TDLR Strategic Plan outlines the agency’s priorities for the 89^th Legislative Session that begins in January 2025, including:

Seeking continued funding for the Legacy Systems Replacement Project. The new licensing system will eliminate the inefficiencies and redundancies of TDLR’s antiquated and disparate legacy systems.
Strengthening current laws to prevent barbering and cosmetology license holders from performing medical procedures. The performance of certain medical procedures by persons who are not authorized or licensed to perform those procedures poses a serious health risk for individuals having the procedures performed.
Providing for an omnibus advisory board clean-up bill that would amend the advisory board language for TDLR-regulated programs that have advisory boards. This would allow TDLR to make the number of members of each board, the types of members, and the terms they serve more consistent, allowing for greater agency efficiency in the administration, oversight, and support of the 33 advisory boards.
Creating a statutory provision that allows TDLR to work with the Texas Education Agency to support career and technology education programs and explore the development of apprenticeship programs. TDLR would be able to assist with the establishment of career and technology programs focusing on our regulated industries that have large numbers of licensees retiring and that lack newly trained, licensed professionals.
Allowing Podiatrists to enter into delegation agreements with advanced practice registered nurses. Unlike other medical doctors, podiatrists are unable to delegate provision of care. Podiatrists will be able to care for more patients at less cost while improving access to care with the assistance of advanced practice registered nurses.
Adding an alternative to filing notices in newspapers of general circulation. Adding alternate, more modern methods of notice, such as through the internet, would create an additional pathway for the public to see the notice in areas where there is no newspaper of general circulation.

The plan also includes 7 agency goals during the next four years:

Procuring and successfully implementing the Legacy Systems Replacement Project to modernize TDLR’s outdated licensing software systems. TDLR currently relies on multiple disparate software systems to carry out its licensing functions. Most of those systems are based on antiquated technologies that are at or near the end of their utility and do not meet modern standards for functionality or security. TDLR inherited many of these systems when the Legislature transferred regulatory programs from other agencies. These multiple disconnected systems present significant roadblocks to operational efficiency, data security, data quality and TDLR’s ability to provide customer service.
Expanding training and licensing opportunities for career and technical education (CTE) in high schools and community colleges. TDLR will complete rulemaking for House Bill 1859 and House Bill 1391 (88-R) to expand training and job opportunities for young people seeking careers in electrical and HVAC fields, and will continue to gather input and feedback from schools, educators, industry members, and legislators about additional opportunities to expand CTE, including Government Code Chapter 51 authority for TDLR to establish apprenticeship programs.
Fully implementing the recommendations resulting from the Sunset review process and Sunset bill (HB 1560, 87^th Legislature).
Continuing to effectively assist the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME), which was administratively attached to TDLR for the next three years for policy-making and administrative oversight.
Exploring the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and large language models to provide automated on-demand customer service and enhance accuracy, security, training, and user experience.
Successfully implementing a regulatory environment for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) across the state of Texas to standardize and ensure public safety for this emerging technology.
Continuing to build capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of TDLR’s anti-trafficking efforts by assigning functions according to area of expertise. Investigations will be conducted by the Enforcement Division, inspections of licensed and unlicensed businesses will be conducted by the Field Inspections Division, and outreach and training will be performed by the Anti-Trafficking Team within the Compliance Division.

About TDLR

TDLR provides regulatory oversight for a broad range of occupations, businesses, facilities, and equipment in Texas. The agency protects the health and safety of Texans by ensuring they are served by qualified, licensed professionals. Inspections of individuals, businesses, and equipment are done on a regular basis to safeguard the public. Currently, the agency regulates 38 business and occupational licensing programs with almost 1,000,000 licensees across the state.

Visit TDLR’s website for more information and resources. You can search the TDLR licensee database, and also find past violations in which a final order was issued against companies or individuals. TDLR’s Customer Service line is available anytime between 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-803-9202. TDLR representatives are fluent in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.