[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6222538,"mediaKeyId","3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252","parentId",3593492,"title","Senate advances bill tightening medical school admissions and grading standards","audioSeconds",137,"startMs",8250000,"endMs",8387000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252&start=8250&end=8387","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252/thumbnail_8250000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6222538/Texas/Senate-advances-bill-tightening-medical-school-admissions-and-grading-standards","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222538-01b35380b706321ad69003fde4608888/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181630&Signature=ILLGdUx~PYrAXt9qEOC-RXg2bjD0-XDMGbBaEz7aBl4H3Tdvoq0rxNQyPJsubUhdT9hJpRdYxUCbnL1V1MIDo7njrn-gpkd5-X8fqrpUgukABKkLZ96U7rVRvgi73Nr~gPh3fUW~H0NhaDzd2jP8SJAiLJxUtCZMn-HJ2bHDfwhwdahIbjZMdD6ujBfbjXZxDvJn4onXD6xLVcGRacEWiQ-l6q4VprWpKR4qIlqkFtUE8~dj9qIKb~1SlP0WCvlbCiPoD1aLlhHPrHvVK8Fv2iJY0NR47IM~qMwPFP0x5DCEsJVCCRQ5HhhhekL-nsXe9lDCXU-o0kEGuMv7edS3JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Legislature","date","2025-05-28T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate took up Committee Substitute for House Bill 52-94, a measure described by Senator Creighton as aimed at reinforcing ‘‘merit‑based standards’’ in Texas medical education. Creighton said the bill does three primary things: require at least 50% of required medical coursework be graded using traditional A–F grades; require consideration of standardized test scores (such as the MCAT) in admissions though not as the sole factor; and prohibit the use of race, ethnicity or national origin to give preference in admissions or employment decisions.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill will strengthen academic rigor, create consistency in admissions, and ensure academic performance is meaningfully comparable across institutions. The committee substitute also requires that changes to academic or admission standards be submitted to the Legislature and the Higher Education Coordinating Board for transparency.

Process: Senator Creighton moved to suspend the regular order and take up the committee substitute. The rules suspension and motion to pass to third reading were approved; the clerk recorded 20 ayes and 11 nays to pass to third reading and the bill was advanced for further consideration.

Discussion vs. decision: Debate on the floor, as recorded, consisted primarily of sponsor explanation and a recorded roll for passage to third reading; no floor amendments were adopted during the excerpt provided.

Next steps: The bill was passed to third reading and will return to the floor for final passage or further amendment.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Session (Part II) May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate advanced committee substitute for House Bill 52-94, which would require at least 50% of required medical coursework be graded A–F, require consideration of standardized test scores (not as sole factor), and bar race or ethnicity preference in admissions and employment decisions at Texas medical schools.","taxTitle","Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16215,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222543,"Senate concurs with House on update to child‑sexual‑content law addressing AI and affirmative defenses",81,1307000,1388000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252&start=1307&end=1388","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252/thumbnail_1307000.jpg","/articles/6222543/Texas/Senate-concurs-with-House-on-update-to-childsexualcontent-law-addressing-AI-and-affirmative-defenses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222543-b642c3fc6a8a488ac5acfca9131458c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181630&Signature=RvZdBmkdJS2O-VHC9ZVxCgsrXbZYv~l1ENRlBp6yMXg4sKTZvL5~D5pvXMvnKTJIzPtojlU93ylc9RyQWUJZfHKI3xo60jHXeTzpKfo5NmJiGQMEXzdILpq4zrJ2C5QsLomUT54l1Hcvr7MvcEDyboYT7myc1UPyij44t0k-1lNB46~uMO~Ud76nGzvfC2FdTXFTabmHGJxdKyENI8Os8~vArhQ-wF0d31wbcmQ8i9eL6DebZuYBnlpJO44dH9jBep4P036ca8vMGxolhDb2J9rE7QMQPhmZzfI9ehfFOe3o-yLmh6SkbAdcDcewg4BkErvHEt1kMDk8CPBaB9lYHw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate voted to concur with House amendments to Senate Bill 16-21, a rewrite of the state statute addressing child sexual material that incorporates provisions accounting for AI-generated content. Senator Huffman, speaking for the Senate sponsor, described changes the House made to the bill and said the House revised affirmative-defense provisions.

Why it matters: Sponsors said the bill updates statutory language to account for new technologies that can create or depict children via artificial intelligence and clarifies which visual materials are covered. The House narrowed affirmative defenses; under the amended language, Senator Huffman said, affirmative defenses “only apply exclusively to judicial or law enforcement officers acting, in the course of their official duties.”

Senator Huffman thanked Representative Fairley for working on the language in the House. On a roll call the Senate recorded 30 ayes and 1 nay and adopted the concurrence.

Discussion vs. decision: The Senate record shows the chamber accepted House revisions as described on the floor; no further amendments were adopted on the floor during the concurrence vote.

Next steps: Having concurred, sponsors instructed enrollment and transmittal procedures consistent with a bill ready for the governor.

","Senators concurred with House amendments to Senate Bill 16-21, which revises state law on child‑sexual content to address AI-generated material and narrows affirmative defenses to law enforcement and judicial officers acting in official capacity.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222548,"Senate approves bill to speed maternal mortality reviews by narrowing redaction requirement",450,7200000,7650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252&start=7200&end=7650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","/articles/6222548/Texas/Senate-approves-bill-to-speed-maternal-mortality-reviews-by-narrowing-redaction-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222548-b7b91d9c77f5ffdefa7adeda6996015d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181630&Signature=AsMlTvje0PjKm2RQANAHOwtxjH7aMEmRfDkFluESRwf9f2a61FozOZlzm38iKpoF4e5vwhjrmv5K8uSCKmQll9wJbpZiBxBsxEujA1x9H52JF5D7WHzjB5ecI~tY9BVF-L4yo4eco78UE6LiQ5gMm69Y2POLOyorB~bUr0Yluqy6Z2eXwYb3y5icRx9svcAh~QKPdMRYza~efYxn73qgHOgb3Kj3~7TD5YGTUOQ~bEstgKN4dMzvm0I60Co0otOC1DENP4nMHCtOyJFvmWfci-psOnvZ669TH4UIL6Un-XWwAyh4bqp44XMsVntfpc83FdRAJdLHIOgMGTmTH-Apug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate voted to pass House Bill 7-13, a measure that creates a limited exception to certain mandatory-reporting redaction requirements so nurses and physicians who abstract case files for the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMRC) can do that work without the full redaction process that currently delays review.

Why it matters: Proponents said the current redaction process can take up to 250 hours per case and delays issuance of the committee’s biennial recommendations to the Legislature. Sponsors said the bill aligns Texas practice with CDC best-practice guidelines for retrospective case review while preserving mandatory reporting duties for abuse or criminal conduct.

Senator Cook, the Senate sponsor, said the exception will “accelerate the review process and get us our data on time.” She and coauthors emphasized that the MMRC’s work is academic and retrospective, that abortions are excluded from the committee’s data collection, and that existing internal hospital reporting and root-cause analyses remain in place.

Action: On third reading the clerk recorded 28 ayes and 3 nays; the bill was later recorded as finally passed following final passage votes and suspension of the three-day rule.

Discussion vs. decision: The Senate’s debate clarified that the MMRC will continue to follow established review practices and that the statutory change is intended to remove administrative barriers to timely review rather than alter mandatory reporting of criminal acts.

Next steps: The bill will be enrolled and transmitted per legislative rules.

","Senate passed House Bill 7-13 to create a limited reporting exception for health-care providers who abstract case files for the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, intended to remove a costly redaction step and speed committee reviews.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222553,"Senate concurs with House on 'Make Texas Healthy Again' bill after changes on labels, nutrition classes",240,3705000,3945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252&start=3705&end=3945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252/thumbnail_3705000.jpg","/articles/6222553/Texas/Senate-concurs-with-House-on-Make-Texas-Healthy-Again-bill-after-changes-on-labels-nutrition-classes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222553-d17f676ea459314c4814734b57d69660/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181630&Signature=S9vvHFu75iUrYwEoCahXKEleQMhTXercigptRyEY9SUJkhBReVpsYgg~1nNCBXHoXsrkMRLBaPq1RBvBipoa9XqFh7g54v6qyk4PnzFHh9QSlIdR1Xi2BiCdMcTlZ7yzsVLSWi43JkNtbY8kzRW76JwopZ8BfjHfc-X873ZBdjhnivsrmORw1X-HLe8k6iky-qebNRwvEdTmlPwIcfzF5gOn~M-zpQFqsJ8bAKb~nhpjPyVIZLu~GTx8YD6ycNTTzLFYKZepZadrtZOj8rTQ3ZwYmBymJNbBWeau~eisPOjHW6GqvFRsACuk2CBoP6qkyxk7ecSN8nvnP8YefdAYAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate voted to concur with House amendments to Senate Bill 25, a comprehensive nutrition and food-transparency measure. Senator Kolkhorst, speaking for the Senate sponsor, described the bill as a transparency-focused measure and thanked Chair Hull and members of the legislative MAHA caucus for work across chambers.

Why it matters: Sponsors said the bill would require warning labels for specified ingredients in ultra‑processed foods, expand nutrition education for health professionals and students, and create an advisory committee to develop curriculum free from conflicts of interest. The bill also contains preemption language to avoid conflict with future federal law or regulation.

Key changes the House made and that the Senate accepted, according to Kolkhorst: college nutrition classes for associate and baccalaureate degrees were made optional rather than mandatory; the House added preemption language specifying that federal bans or labeling requirements would supersede state labels; exemptions were added for products already subject to a Surgeon General or federal warning label, for USDA‑regulated products, and for agricultural chemicals used in production. Kolkhorst said, \"this is a transparency bill... It does not ban anything. What it says is you're just gonna tell the consumers this is what's in these foods.\"

Senators also noted the bill requires nutrition education for graduate medical education and nursing programs and the creation of an advisory committee to develop curriculum without conflicts of interest.

Action: The Senate concurred in House amendments; the clerk recorded 31 ayes and 0 nays. Sponsors indicated the bill will be sent to the governor for signature following enrollment.

","Senators concurred with House amendments to Senate Bill 25, the 'Make Texas Healthy Again' (MAHA) bill, which adds consumer-labeling requirements for certain processed-food ingredients, makes some college nutrition classes optional, and includes preemption and federal conformity language.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222558,"Senate debates Austin aquifer storage plan; amendment requiring monitoring, limits fails",3051,4346000,7397000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252&start=4346&end=7397","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593492-22cbefd0b0ae4477363d4dae1a514252/thumbnail_4346000.jpg","/articles/6222558/Texas/Senate-debates-Austin-aquifer-storage-plan-amendment-requiring-monitoring-limits-fails","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222558-735eadd6f4dab629503ea0a75bef7f0d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771181630&Signature=bWw43J58NwT0kq5uTQCoEbne6vxwEnOhbM8TvOtnlBYkVkH9iafCEwCNvOMMET9opC~0wX133T-GMahz1p7xtTDIonp~Tgk1xEq6vsBNf9X8WDby42y78LZy1X90b6h3TqBS~aR-sxfoL1LyMAUwibmBa8cH80VTSl2EBha6w8VF0mF0ym4-sWQeqefZOmpHNLQjggVfV-jFASw4oaV4GbfNuW5kh7sWGUfUhzx5tURLDfx5TGC78IQYLtS~XuLcr0DfYr9QUCuT8JH6xPRmecyiCGYELWueqvUeRxPfExGtomVe0yW-0FAwVxQulP8dZa3KOgrppLtkaRuiiihDbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas Senate considered House Bill 15-23 on the use of Class B injection wells for an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project proposed by the City of Austin and affecting the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District (GCD). Senator Shortner, the Senate author, said the committee substitute would “prevent an ASR permit from being issued until December 30 first of 2027” to allow further review and stakeholder engagement.

Why it matters: The bill affects intercounty storage of treated/processed water in an aquifer beneath Bastrop and Lee counties, a project that opponents say is the first of its kind in Texas and raises questions about groundwater quality, monitoring, and local authority.

Senator Shortner described constituent concerns and said the bill preserves the voice of local stakeholders while allowing Austin to continue preliminary work. Senator Eckhart offered a floor amendment restoring the House-engrossed language negotiated by the House author. Eckhart said the amendment would “require that the project not withdraw from the aquifer storage more water than Austin Water injects into the aquifer,” require “monitoring wells to ensure that the project is not harming neighboring wells,” and mandate that Austin Water “share all water quality and quantity testing it conducts with the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District.” The amendment also would have required TCEQ to hold a public hearing in Bastrop before issuing a permit.

Opponents of the amendment, including Senator Shortner, argued the temporary prohibition in the committee substitute would focus negotiations and engagement. Shortner said the pause “will make it much more focused, much more, highlighted by having, this this stop,” and described the measure as a “hard stop” to allow more data and assurances to be developed.

On a roll call for floor amendment number 1 (Eckhart), the amendment failed with 10 ayes and 21 nays. The Senate later voted to pass the committee substitute to third reading; the clerk recorded 19 ayes and 9 nays and the bill was advanced to third reading for further consideration.

Discussion vs. decision: The Senate explicitly distinguished between continued planning (exploratory drilling, monitoring, pilot testing) and formal permits. The bill, as substituted, prohibits issuance of a TCEQ permit until the statutory date while leaving agency review intact.

Next steps: The bill was advanced to third reading after the amendment failed; further action on final passage and any additional amendments will occur on the Senate floor.

","The Texas Senate debated House Bill 15-23, a temporary restriction on TCEQ authorization of certain injection wells for aquifer storage recovery (ASR) in the Lost Pines area. A floor amendment that would have required monitoring wells, limits on withdrawals, and local data sharing failed; the bill then passed to third reading.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate advances bill tightening medical school admissions and grading standards

Senate concurs with House on update to child‑sexual‑content law addressing AI and affirmative defenses

Senate approves bill to speed maternal mortality reviews by narrowing redaction requirement

Senate concurs with House on 'Make Texas Healthy Again' bill after changes on labels, nutrition classes

Senate debates Austin aquifer storage plan; amendment requiring monitoring, limits fails