‘Botox party' bill scheduled for House vote
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Proposed legislation to enhance patient safety and tighten Texas laws over who can administer Botox injections — and similar treatments — is scheduled for a vote Monday.
After a vote of 12-0 in the Texas House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee on May 10, Senate Bill 378 moved out of that House committee without any amendments.
SB 378 passed the Senate in late March and was heard by the House committee on April 29. It was initially left pending in the Texas House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee after receiving nearly 50 written comments, most of which opposed the legislation. The comments included several from estheticians and injectors concerned about their small businesses being impacted.
RELATED: 'Botox party' bill step closer to becoming Texas law
The bill, authored by State Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, pushes for patient safety and transparency and would prohibit estheticians, cosmetologists and barbers from administering injections and using prescriptive medical devices unless they are legally licensed and authorized to perform the acts.
The legislation was filed after a KXAN investigation uncovered that anyone in Texas can become certified to do injections, including Botox. In May, KXAN's 'Backroom Botox' investigation highlighted the need for patient safety after a Botox treatment led to a medical emergency in the back room of a local boutique in Dublin, a city north of Austin.
KXAN INVESTIGATION: Backroom Botox a 'wild west' in Texas
After KXAN's investigation, Schwertner told KXAN investigators previously there have been increased reports of 'Botox parties' which include unauthorized and unsafe injections to friends and family without proper supervision.
According to the bill analysis, while the Texas Medical Board, or TMB, has disciplinary authority over physicians who are supposed to be authorizing the injections, current statute is 'silent' on both the TMB's and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation's authority to pursue the licensed esthetician or cosmetologist who are in violation.
RELATED: Texas pushes to tighten rules for Botox, similar Treatments
The legislation would provide TDLR the authority to take disciplinary action against those administering unauthorized injections.
KXAN will continue to update this story with any developments Monday.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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