Texas House passes five significant bills including healthcare and pipeline regulations

The Texas Legislature convened on April 22, 2025, for the 89th Legislative Session, focusing on several key bills during the meeting. The session began with a record vote on House Bill 121, which passed to engrossment with 93 votes in favor and 52 against. This bill's specifics were not detailed in the transcript.

Following this, House Bill 18, concerning health care services in rural counties, was postponed until April 23, 2025, as requested by its sponsor, Mr. Van Deaver.

The session continued with House Bill 206, introduced by Mr. Craddock, which aims to limit a county's authority to require cash bonds for pipeline construction. This bill passed to engrossment with a significant majority, recording 110 ayes and 38 nays.

Next, House Bill 136, presented by Ms. Hull, seeks to establish lactation consulting as a Medicaid benefit. The bill was well-received, passing to engrossment with 133 votes in favor and only 13 against.

House Bill 3114, introduced by Mr. Garen, addresses the Capitol View Corridor to facilitate the construction of two new hospitals in Austin. This bill also passed to engrossment with 34 ayes and 12 nays.

House Bill 2733, presented by Mr. Canales, modernizes the definitions related to barratry and solicitation of professional services, incorporating digital communication tools. This bill passed unanimously with 147 votes in favor.

House Bill 1732, introduced by Ms. Hernandez, proposes stricter regulations for massage therapy licensing, disqualifying individuals with certain criminal convictions. This bill also passed to engrossment with 146 votes in favor.

Lastly, House Bill 3700, presented by Mr. Voe, aims to enhance the Texas Workforce Commission's authority to combat fraud, waste, and abuse across its programs. An amendment to strengthen accountability within the commission was proposed but faced a point of order challenge.

Overall, the meeting highlighted a productive session with significant legislative progress on health care, regulatory measures, and fraud prevention initiatives. The next steps will involve further discussions and votes on the postponed bills and any amendments proposed.