2021 TPS Legislative Session Recap
2021 TPS Legislative Priorities
TESTIMONY & ACTION ITEMS
TPS members have a long history of testifying to House and Senate Committees throughout the legislative session. The bill filing deadline is Friday, March 12th 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 2018-19 Interim Advocacy page to get up to speed on relevant topics studied by the legislature since the 2019 Legislative Session. These issues set the framework for areas of focus during the 2021 Session.
Issue | Testimony |
SB 1 (State Budget): MedCARES |
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SB 1 (State Budget): Public Health Priorities | Written testimony submitted by Texas Public Health Coalition to Senate Finance (2-26-21) |
HB 1 (State Budget): Comprehensive Health Coverage, Integrating Social Determinants of Health in Medicaid delivery, and Early Childhood Intervention | Testimony in House Appropriations (3-1-21) |
HB 1 (State Budget): MedCARES | Testimony in House Appropriations (3-3-21) |
HB 1 (State Budget): Medical Education and Primary Care Preceptorship Program | Written testimony submitted to House Appropriations (3-3-21) |
SB 1 (State Budget): Firearm Safe Storage Campaign | Written testimony submitted to Senate Finance (3-3-21) |
HB 1387: Relating to the storage of firearms and ammunition Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2021. |
Written testimony submitted to House Human Services (3-16-21) |
HB 133: Relating to Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum Passed both chambers and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2021. |
Testimony to House Human Services (3-23-21) |
SB 29: Relating to requiring public school students to participate in interscholastic athletic activities based on biological sex assigned at birth. Passed Senate and left pending on General Calendar for 5-25-21; failed to pass. |
Testimony to Senate State Affairs (3-26-21) |
SB 248: Relating to the regulation of tobacco products and e-cigarettes Passed both chambers and filed without Governor's signature; effective September 1, 2021. |
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HB 290: Relating to continous elegibility in Medicaid coverage Passed both chambers as a part of HB 2658 and signed by the Governor; effective September 1, 2021. |
Testimony to House Human Services (3-30-21) |
SB 1310: Relating to informed consent for immunizations for children Left pending in Senate Health & Human Services Committee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to Senate Health and Human Services (3-31-21) |
HB 198: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of indecency with a child. Left pending in House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Criminal Jurisprudence (4-6-21) |
HB 2983: Relating to medical examinations for certain children entering the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services. Passed House but was not referred in the Senate; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Human Services (4-6-21) |
SB 1311: Relating to the provision of and professional liability insurance coverage for gender transitioning or gender reassignment medical procedures and treatments for certain children. Passed Senate and did not receive a hearing in House Public Health Committee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to Senate State Affairs (4-12-21) |
SB 1646: Relating to the protection of children, including the definition of child abuse and the prosecution of the criminal offense of abandoning or endangering a child. Passed Senate and did not receive a hearing in House Public Health; failed to pass. |
Testimony to Senate State Affairs (4-12-21) |
HB 211: Relating to sales and use taxes on e-cigarette vapor products to benefit the child health plan program; imposing taxes. Passed House but was not referred in the Senate; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Ways and Means (4-12-21) |
HB 3493: Relating to prevention and early intervention services by the Department of Family and Protective Services. Left pending on the General Calendar 5-13-21; failed to pass. |
Written Testimony submitted to House Human Services (4-13-21) |
HB 678: Relating to the administration of a medication, immunization, or vaccination by a pharmacist. Passed the House but was not referred in Senate; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Public Health (4-14-21) |
SB 636: Relating to 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 pass. |
Testimony to Senate Health and Human Services (4-14-21) |
HB 2049: Relating to the authority of pharmacists to furnish certain medications. Left pending in House Calendars Committee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Public Health (4-14-21) |
HB 1399: Relating to professional liability insurance coverage for and prohibitions on the provision to certain children of procedures and treatments for gender transitioning, gender reassignment, or gender dysphoria. Left pending on House General Calendar 5-13-19; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Public Health (4-14-21) |
HB 4042: Relating to requiring public school students to participate in interscholastic athletic activities based on biological sex. Left pending in House Public Education. Companion passed the Senate and was left pending on House General Calendar 5-25-21; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Public Education (4-20-21) |
HB 4365: Relating to a pilot project to improve health care outcomes and reduce costs under Medicaid by providing participating recipients with enhanced case management and other services to address certain social determinants of health. Left pending in House Human Services Committee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Human Services (4-20-21) |
HB 2856: Relating to provider discrimination against a Medicaid recipient or child health plan program enrollee based on immunization status. Left pending on House General Calendar 5-13-21; failed to pass. |
Testimony to House Public Health (4-21-21) |
SB 1669: Relating to prohibited discrimination regarding vaccination status and mandates for receiving or participating in the administration of vaccines; authorizing administrative penalties. Left pending in Senate State Affairs Commitee; failed to pass. |
Testimony to Senate State Affairs (5-6-21) |