Texas Law Caps Local Health Inspection Fees and Shifts Oversight

Recent changes to Texas law have altered how local health departments set inspection fees and manage oversight, affecting cities such as Beaumont and their public health operations.

Senate Bill 1008, signed by Governor Greg Abbott in May 2025, restricts local health departments to fee schedules that match those set by the Department of State Health Services. The law also limits reinspection fees to the lower of the inspection cost or $200 and requires local agencies to provide notice 60 days before making changes to their fee schedules.

The law, which took effect on September 1, 2025, also removes certain regulatory fees and standardizes food service permitting charges across Texas. Local agencies must now submit their proposed fee changes for review before implementation, ensuring alignment with state guidelines.

As a result of these legislative changes, Beaumont Public Health will no longer oversee inspections for nonprofits, nursing homes, day-care centers, schools (except for school feeding programs), and food trucks. These responsibilities have shifted to state inspection authorities, reducing the scope of local oversight.

What the numbers show

• Senate Bill 1008 took effect on September 1, 2025
• Beaumont’s new inspection fee for non-permit holders is $150
• The reinspection fee is capped at $200
• Temporary food permit fees range from $22 to $52 by event duration
• Estimated revenue loss for Beaumont Public Health is between $40,000 and $47,557

To comply with the new requirements, Beaumont introduced a $150 inspection fee for businesses operating without permits and set a $200 reinspection fee. Permit fees for all tiers increased by $75, and the city discontinued its broad event permit in favor of requiring each vendor to obtain a temporary food permit, with fees based on the length of the event.

Beaumont’s Environmental Health Department updated its fee schedule to reflect these changes. Temporary food permit fees now range from $22 to $52, depending on event duration, and only businesses without permits are subject to the new inspection fee. The revised structure aims to recover costs previously covered by broader permitting.

City staff have estimated that these adjustments will reduce revenue for Beaumont Public Health by approximately $40,000, with some estimates reaching $47,557 due to the move to vendor-level temporary permits. The changes are intended to align local practices with state law while maintaining essential inspection services.

According to local reports, these policy shifts represent a move toward greater standardization of health inspection practices across Texas. The requirement for advance notice and alignment with state fee schedules is designed to create consistency for food service establishments and public health agencies statewide.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.