2019 Legislative Session

 

TPS Recap of the 2019 Legislative Session (link)

TPS 2019 Legislative Session Advocacy Snapshot (link)

2019 TPS Legislative Priorities (link)

TESTIMONY & ACTION ITEMS
TPS members have been testifying to House and Senate Committees since early February. The bill filing deadline is Friday, March 8th and there will be several more weeks of testimony as hearings pick up and bills begin moving to the House and Senate floor. Visit the 2017-18 Interim Advocacy page to get up to speed on relevant topics studied by the legislature since the 2017 Legislative Session. These issues set the framework for areas of focus during the 2019 Session.

Issue Testimony
SB 1 (State Budget): Child Abuse Prevention Testimony from Dr. Lukefahr in Senate Finance (2-06-19)
SB 1 (State Budget): Early Childhood Intervention Testimony from Dr. Deforest in Senate Finance (2-06-19)
SB 1 (State Budget): Public Heatlh Testimony from Dr. Murphey in Senate Finance (2-06-19)
HB 1 (State Budget): Medicaid Testimony from Dr. Curran in House Appropriations (2-11-19)

SB 10: Relating to the creation of the Texas Mental Health Care Consortium. (Child Psychiatry Access)

Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective June 6, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Tran in Senate Health and Human Services Committee (2-12-19)

Testimony from Dr. Tran in House Public Health Committee (5-1-19)

Support SB 10 One Pager

SB 1 (State Budget): Funding for SB 10 Testimony from Dr. Tran in Senate Finance (2-12-19)
HB 1 (State Budget): Child Abuse Prevention Tesitmony from Dr. Lukefahr in House Appropriations (2-12-19)

HB 1 (State Budget): Family First Prevention Services Act

Testimony from Dr. Rachael Keefe in House Appropriations (2-19-19)
HB 1 (State Budget): Early Childhood Intervention Testimony from Dr. Linnell in House Appropriations (2-19-19)

HB 448: Relating to the creation of an offense for failing to secure certain children in a rear-facing child passenger safety system.

Passed both chambers and vetoed by Governor.

Testimony from Dr. Sandra McKay in House Transportation (2-27-19)

HB 448 Fact Sheet and FAQ

HB 10: Relating to grants and programs for researching and treating behavioral health and psychiatric issues.

Left pending before the Senate; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Uchenna Umeh in House Public Health (2-27-19)

HB 565: Relating to healthcare coverage in this state.

Pending in House Insurance Committee; failed to pass.

Testimony from Dr. Curran in House Insurance (3-5-19)

SB 747: Relating to newborn screening and the newborn screening preservation account.

Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Guillory in Senate Health and Human Servcies (3-5-19)

SB 355: Relating to developing a strategic plan to ensure the provision of prevention and early intervention services complies with federal law.

Passed both chambers and filed without Governor’s signature; effective June 14, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Louis Appel in Senate Health and Human Services (3-5-19)

Testimony from Dr. Marjan Linnell in House Human Services Committee

HB 749: Relating to the distribution, possession, purchase, consumption, and receipt of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and tobacco products; imposing a civil penalty.

Left pending in House Public Health Committee; Senate companion SB 21 Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Curran in House Public Health (3-6-19)

HB 342: Relating to eligibility for the medical assistance program and enrollment in the child health program. 

Pending House Calendars Committee; amended on to SB 1105; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Raimer in House Human Services (3-12-19)

SB 952: Relating to standards for nutrition, physical activity, and screent time for certain child care facilities and homes.

Passed both chambers and filed without Governor’s signature; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Edwards in Senate Health and Human Services (3-12-19)

Partnership for a Healthy Texas Fact Sheet

HB 252: Relating to increasing awareness of the dangers of exposign children to secondhand smoke.

Left pending on the General Calendar for 5-9-19; failed to pass.

Testimony from Dr. Bocchini in House Public Health (3-13-19)

HB 85: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of indecency with a child.

Recommitteed to House Criminal Juriscprudence Committee; failed to pass.

Testimony from Dr. Neavel in House Criminal Jurisprudence (3-18-19)

HB 900: Relating to the act of smoking tobacco in a vehicle with a child present; authorizing an additional fine for certain criminal offenses.

Pending in House Calendars Committee; failed to pass.

Testimony from Dr. Lowery in House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence (3-18-19)

SB 21: Relating to the distribution, possession, purchase, consumption, and receipt of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and tobacco products.

Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Carlo in Senate State Affairs (3-18-19)

HB 744: Relating to the Medicaid eligibility of certain women after a pregnancy.

Passed the House; left pending in Senate Health and Human Services Committee; failed to pass. 

Testimony from Dr. Hampton in House Human Services (3-19-19)

HB 316: Relating to a public awareness campaign on firearm safety and suicide prevention. 

Left pending in House Calendars Committee; failed to pass; Department of Public Safety Rider 48 includes $1 million for Statewide Safe Firearm Storage Campaign in final budget (HB 1).

Written testimony in House Homeland Security & Public Safety (3-20-19)

HB 2368: Relating to access to and the provision of behavioral and mental health care services and trauma-informed care in the Medicaid managed care program.

Pending in House Calendars Committee; failed to pass.

Written testimony from TPS, TMA, and FTP in House Human Services (3-26-19)

HB 1808: Relating to standards for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time for certain child-care facilities and homes. 

Left pending in House Calendars Committee; Senate companion SB 952 passed both chambers and filed without Governor’s signature; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Edwards in House Human Services Committee (4-2-19)

HB 3458: Relating to the administration of an immunization or vaccination by a pharmacist

Left pending in House Public Health Committee; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Raimer in House Public Health (4-4-19)

HB 2582: Relating to required notice of the cost and health benefit plan coverage of newborn screening tests.

Companion considered in lieu of in the committee; Senate companion SB 747 passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Written testimony in House Insurance (4-9-19)

HB 4178: Relating to the operation and administration of certain health and human services programs, including the Medicaid managed care program. 

Left pending in House Calendars Committee; components amended into SB 1207 which passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony by Dr. Curran in House Human Services (4-9-19)

HB 474: Relating to a Department of Family and Protective Services plan to address the substitute care capacity needs in certain department regions.

Left pending in House Human Services Committee; failed to finally pass.

Written testimony from Texas Pediatric Society (4-16-19)

HB 849: Relating to the status and taxation of powdered alcohol as an alcoholic beverage.

Left pending in House Licensing & Adminstrative Procedures Committee; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Monge in House Licensing & Adminstrative Procedures (4-16-19)

HB 1610: Relating to powdered alcohol.

Left pending in House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Monge in House Licensing & Adminstrative Procedures (4-16-19)

HB 3541: Relating to a study and pilot program regarding the use of incentives to purchase certain fruits and vegetables under the supplemental nutrition assistance program. 

Left pending in House Human Services Committee; Senate companion SB 1834 passed both chambers and signed by Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Lowery in House Human Services (4-16-19)

SB 329: Relating to the requirements for and the transparency of epidemiological reports and certain immunization exemption information and reports.

Left pending in Senate Health and Human Services Committee; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Duong in Senate Health and Human Services (4-23-19)

HB 1 (State Budget): Conference Committee

Final budget can be found here (link).

Joint House of Medicine Conferee Letter (4-26-19)

SB 749: Relating to level of care designations for hospitals that provide neonatal and maternal care. 

Passed both chambers and signed by Governor; effective June 10, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Curran in House Public Health (5-1-19)

SB 952: Relating to standards for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time for certain child-care facilities and homes.

Passed both chambers and filed without Governor’s signature; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Kimberly Avila Edwards in Senate Health and Human Services (3-4-19)

SB 1404: Relating to consent to the disclosure of certain information and to other matters relating to newborn and infant screening tests.

Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Duong in Senate Health and Human Services (4-23-19)

SB 1524: Relating to the creation of an offense for failing to secure certain children in a rear-facing child passenger safety seat system.

Left pending in Senate Transportation; House companion bill HB 448 passed both chambers and vetoed by Governor.

Testimony from Dr. Averyt in Senate Transportation (4-10-19)

SB 1834: Relating to a study and pilot program regarding the use of incentives to purchase certain fruits or vegetables under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2019.

Testimony from Dr. Helfand in Senate Health and Human Services (4-2-19)

SB 2351: Relating to discrimination by a health care provider based on immunization status.

Left pending in Senate Health and Human Services Committee; failed to finally pass.

Testimony from Dr. Duong in Senate Health and Human Services (4-23-19)

 

ADVOCACY COALITION LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
TPS is an active part of several advocacy coalitions, roundtables, and partnerships, working with other stakeholders on shared priorities to promote child health and safety.