End of Session - Bills Passed

NUTRITION:

SB 25 (Sen. Kolkhorst / Rep. Hull): Requires warning labels on packaged foods that contain any of 44 additives listed in the bill. The label must state: “WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.” Amongst other things, the bill also requires basic nutrition education for doctors and medical students, and prohibits schools from taking away PE as punishment. (View bill)

SB 314 (Sen. Hughes / Rep. Harris Davila): Bans harmful additives and artificial dyes from school lunches served to students on free or reduced-price meal plans. Since schools generally serve the same lunch to all students, this change will apply to nearly every school lunch in Texas, helping make meals healthier for all kids. (View bill)

SB 379 (Sen. Middleton / Rep. Gerdes): Prohibit candy and sodas from being purchased with SNAP (food stamps) through requesting a waiver from the USDA. (View bill)

SB 541 (Sen. Kolkhorst / Rep. Hull): Expansion of Cottage Food Law - Makes it easier for people to sell homemade food by expanding who qualifies and what they can sell—including nonprofits and items that require temperature control. The income cap for these home-based food businesses goes up from $50,000 to $100,000 per year. The bill also blocks cities and counties from requiring extra permits or licenses. Locally made food is often fresher, simpler, and made with higher-quality ingredients. By cutting red tape and supporting small food producers, this bill empowers families to shop local, know what’s in their food, and keep more dollars in their community (View bill)

SB 261 (Sen. Perry / Rep. Gerdes) temporarily bans the sale of cell-cultured protein in Texas until September 1, 2027, giving the state time to establish proper regulations. Some have raised safety concerns, as well as uncertainties about the effects of genetically engineered proteins. Until these risks are better understood, the bill prohibits the sale and requires clear labeling of such products as “cell-cultured” or “lab-grown.” (View bill)

HB 26 (Rep. Hull / Sen. Kolkhorst): ​House Bill 26, as amended on April 22, 2025, permits Medicaid managed care organizations in Texas to offer nutrition counseling and instruction services as alternatives to certain state Medicaid plan services. These alternative services must be medically appropriate, cost-effective (and cost-neutral) and evidence-based, and are subject to approval by the state Medicaid managed care advisory committee. (View bill)

MEDICAL FREEDOM:

SB 269 (Sen. Perry / Rep. Frank): Mandates that physicians report serious adverse events experienced by patients within one year of receiving certain vaccines or drugs—specifically those that are experimental, investigational, or approved for emergency use by the FDA—to the appropriate federal systems, such as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) or the FDA's MedWatch program. The bill defines "serious adverse events" to include outcomes like death, life-threatening conditions, hospitalization, significant disability, congenital anomalies, or other medically significant conditions. Non-compliance may result in corrective or disciplinary actions by the Texas Medical Board. (View Bill)

HB 1586 (Rep. Hull / Sen. Kolkhorst): This bill proposes to simplify the process for obtaining exemptions from required school immunizations by making the affidavit form downloadable from the Department of State Health Services website, eliminating the need for a physical seal, and prohibiting the collection of personal information from individuals accessing or submitting the form. (View bill)

HB 4076 (Rep. Leach / Sen. Kolkhorst) – Seeks to prohibit discrimination against organ transplant recipients based on their vaccination status, ensuring that individuals are not denied access to transplantation solely due to their immunization choices. (View bill)

HB 4535 (Rep. McQueeney / Sen. Hancock) – Requires healthcare providers to obtain written informed consent before administering a COVID-19 vaccine. The consent must include acknowledgment of receiving a standardized information sheet developed by the Department of State Health Services, which must outline potential risks and side effects, the expedited development process, lack of long-term studies, liability protections for manufacturers, and instructions for reporting adverse events through VAERS. (View bill)

HB 3441 (Rep. Luther / Sen. Hall) – Proposes to hold vaccine manufacturers liable for advertising harmful vaccines, potentially impacting how vaccines are marketed and the legal responsibilities of manufacturers. (View bill)

SB 268 (Sen. Perry / Rep. Howard): Ensures healthcare professionals are only subject to disciplinary actions by their own licensing boards. The bill requires any complaints filed with the wrong board to be referred to the correct one, preventing confusion, duplicative investigations, and regulatory overreach. This improves fairness, protects due process, and ensures practitioners are judged by those who understand their specific scope of practice. During COVID, the politicization of certain treatments and protocols led to blurred lines between licensing boards—highlighting the need for clearer jurisdiction and accountability. (View bill)

SB 984 (Sen. Bettencourt / Rep. King): Expands access to individualized investigational treatments for patients with severe or life-threatening illnesses. Defines such treatments as those tailored to a patient's genetic profile and sets eligibility, consent, and physician responsibilities.  (View bill)

SB 2308 (Sen. Parker / Rep. Harris) This bill would create a grant program to help fund partnerships between the state and private companies working to get FDA approval for using ibogaine to treat opioid addiction and other mental health issues. To qualify, groups must be able to run clinical trials, plan to base operations in Texas, and agree to share the benefits if their work leads to new patents. (View bill)

SB 670 (Sen. Hughes / Rep. Campos): Allows patients to access sun protection products that have completed Phase I clinical trials but are not yet approved by the FDA. Eligible patients must consult with their physician, who must determine that existing FDA-approved products are less effective. Manufacturers may provide these investigational products to patients, with or without compensation. (View bill)

AFFORDABILITY/ACCESS:

SB 815 (Sen. Schwertner / Rep. Spiller): This bill prohibits utilization review agents from using artificial intelligence-based algorithms as the sole basis for decisions to deny, delay, or modify healthcare services based on medical necessity or appropriateness. It mandates that only a physician or licensed healthcare provider can make such determinations. Additionally, the bill grants the commissioner authority to audit and inspect the use of artificial intelligence in utilization reviews at any time. (View bill)

SB 493 (Sen. Kolkhorst / Rep. Wharton): Prohibits health benefit plan issuers and pharmacy benefit managers from restricting pharmacists or pharmacies from informing enrollees about differences between their out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs when using insurance and the costs without submitting a claim. This measure aims to enhance transparency, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about purchasing prescription medications. (View bill)

HB 3233 (Rep. Harris / Sen. Kolkhorst) – Prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from storing or processing patient data for Texas residents outside the United States, aiming to enhance data security and privacy. (View bill)

SB 331 (Sen. Kolkhorst / Rep. Frank): This bill broadens the types of health care facilities required to provide clear billing information to patients. It adds places like urgent care clinics, birthing centers, and surgical centers to the list, ensuring they must disclose pricing and billing details, similar to hospitals. (View bill)

SB 1318 (Sen. Schwertner / Rep. Bonnen): SB 1318 limits non-compete agreements for doctors and other healthcare workers to help patients get better access to care. These agreements can’t last more than a year, can only apply within five miles, and must include a buyout option capped at the provider’s yearly pay. The rules apply to physicians, dentists, nurses, and physician assistants. (View bill)

HB 1314 (Rep. Hickland / Sen. Hughes): Requires health care facilities to give patients written cost estimates for elective procedures within 24 hours of a request. Final bills can’t exceed the estimate by more than 5% unless complications arise, with written explanation. If they don’t comply, facilities can’t collect payment or take legal or credit action. (View bill)

HB 1612 (Rep. Frank / Sen. Kolkhorst): Allows patients without health benefit plan coverage to pay hospitals directly for services, provided payment is made within 60 days of billing. Limits charges to no more than 25% above the hospital's lowest contracted rate with insurers, excluding Medicaid, CHIP, and Medicare rates. (View bill)

HB 2254 (Rep. Hull / Sen. Sparks): The bill bars insurers from penalizing primary care doctors who opt out of value-based or capitated payment contracts. It protects their fee schedules, network participation, and right to file complaints over discrimination. Contracts must not interfere with medical judgment or discourage necessary care. (View bill)

HB 879 (Rep. Frank / Sen. Hagenbuch): streamlines the licensing process for military veterans who served as physicians or nurses. It allows those who left active duty in Texas within the past year and hold an out-of-state medical or nursing license to obtain a Texas license, provided they pass the state’s jurisprudence exam. However, individuals discharged for misconduct, under investigation, or with certain criminal histories are excluded from this expedited path. (View bill)

HB 2038 (Rep. Oliverson / Sen. Sparks): This bill, known as the Decreasing Occupational Certification Timelines, Obstacles, and Regulations (DOCTOR) Act, proposes the issuance of provisional medical licenses to certain foreign-trained physicians who have secured employment offers in Texas. It also facilitates the licensing of military veterans who have recently served as physicians in the armed forces and are licensed in another state. Additionally, the bill ensures that insured individuals have the right to select these license holders under their health policies. (View bill) 

HB 216 (Rep. Harris Davila / Sen. Blanco) – Requires health care providers to issue itemized bills for services and supplies, mandating that if a patient hasn't created an online portal profile, a paper copy must be mailed, with violations subject to disciplinary action by the provider’s licensing authority. (View bill)