TDLR licensing and education teams told the veterinary advisory board they will provide templates, joint process reviews and technical assistance to speed licensing decisions and reduce rework.

Heather Muir, interim licensing director, described licensing capacity and structure, saying the division had 72 FTEs after adding a program for electric vehicle charging stations. “We ensure that we license competent people, that are safe to go out and be in people’s homes,” Muir said, listing a range of license types and noting licensing throughput: the division processed roughly 666,000 applications and renewals last year with high online submission rates and rapid processing times for most applications and renewals.

Angie Schmidt, manager for education and examinations, described tools the division has developed for schools and course providers, including online systems for barber/cosmetology and a Texas massage exam introduced this year. Schmidt said the new Texas‑only massage exam costs $60 (compared with a multi‑state exam option that costs $265); she also cited testing volumes (about 91,321 examinations administered this year) and pass‑rate statistics for a recent Texas exam (60.4 percent pass rate for one test cited).

Board members asked specifically about continuing education (CE) for veterinarians and the licensing team recommended developing program‑specific templates and a review process that begins with statute and rule alignment, then maps to practical application and outreach audits. TDLR staff proposed a joint review visit so licensing and education divisions can map vet‑board processes and adapt TDLR templates where feasible.