HB 1310

Hospitals Must Tell Foreign Patients Their Costs Get Reported

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

Both charges, and why

Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

…“including any recommendations regarding options available for this state to seek reimbursement for those costs from the federal government”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only output is a report with recommendations. Any action on the costs, such as seeking federal repayment, waits for later. The caption honestly says it is a report bill.

Study, task force, commission, report

Delayed start

THE TEXT

“submit the first report required by Section 525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2027”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Data collection starts in 2025, but the first cost report lands after the November 3, 2026 general election.

Delayed start

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to an annual report on the costs to this state and political subdivisions of providing health care services to foreign patients.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

First report isn’t due until January 1, 2027, after the election. Care itself doesn’t change.

The bill requires the Health and Human Services Commission to collect, every quarter, the costs that the state, cities, counties and hospital districts pay for inpatient and emergency care at public hospitals for uninsured patients who are not citizens or green-card holders. Public hospitals must tell those patients that the hospital has to send this information to the commission, and that doing so does not change the hospital's federal duty to treat them. The commission then sends a yearly cost report to the governor and Legislature with ideas for seeking federal repayment, but the first report is not due until January 1, 2027, and nothing about the care itself changes.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 13, 2024 and referred to the House Public Health committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1310 · 2024-11-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

ITEM

relating to an annual report on the costs to this state and political subdivisions of providing health care services to foreign patients.

WHAT IT DOES

First report isn’t due until January 1, 2027, after the election. Care itself doesn’t change.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“including any recommendations regarding options available for this state to seek reimbursement for those costs from the federal government”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only output is a report with recommendations. Any action on the costs, such as seeking federal repayment, waits for later. The caption honestly says it is a report bill.

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“submit the first report required by Section 525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2027”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Data collection starts in 2025, but the first cost report lands after the November 3, 2026 general election.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Nov 13, 2024Filed
Mar 10, 2025Read first time
Mar 10, 2025Referred to Public Health

FILED UNDER

GIBS

THE TEXT

…“emergency care to uninsured patients who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents of the United States”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill counts what taxpayers spend on hospital care for uninsured non-citizens but does not limit or redirect that spending.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Hillary Hickland

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$310K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$135K Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$25K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$310,226.49

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$310,226.49

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $260,226.49
Total: $310,226.49

mail $134,060.64advertising $105,955.50polling $20,210.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005755, 101019808, 101048921, 101069141, 101072319.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$135,152.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$135,152.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $125,152.00
Total: $135,152.00

canvassing $125,152.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$25,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$310,226.49

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $260,226.49
Total: $310,226.49

mail $134,060.64advertising $105,955.50polling $20,210.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005755, 101019808, 101048921, 101069141, 101072319.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$135,152.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $125,152.00
Total: $135,152.00

canvassing $125,152.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 13, 2024

03/10/2025 H Referred to Public Health: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Public Health · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Aliens

Health--General

Hospitals

Political Subdivisions

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 393 words

By: Hickland
H.B. No. 1310

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an annual report on the costs to this state and

political subdivisions of providing health care services to foreign

patients.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 525, Government Code, as

effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 525.0304 to

read as follows:

Sec. 525.0304. ANNUAL REPORT ON COSTS OF PROVIDING HEALTH

CARE SERVICES TO FOREIGN PATIENTS. (a) In this section:

(1) "Emergency care" has the meaning assigned by

Section 1301.155, Insurance Code.

(2) "Political subdivision" includes a municipality,

county, and hospital district in this state.

(b) The commission shall quarterly collect information on

the costs incurred by this state and political subdivisions for

providing at public hospitals inpatient health care services and

emergency care to uninsured patients who are not citizens or lawful

permanent residents of the United States.

(c) A public hospital providing inpatient health care

services or emergency care to a patient described by Subsection (b)

shall inform the patient that:

(1) the hospital must provide to the commission the

information described by Subsection (b); and

(2) the provision of the information does not affect

or limit the hospital's duty to provide the patient care under

federal law.

(d) Not later than January 1 of each year, the commission

shall submit to the governor and the legislature a written report

outlining the costs incurred by this state and political

subdivisions for providing inpatient health care services and

emergency care to patients described by Subsection (b), including

any recommendations regarding options available for this state to

seek reimbursement for those costs from the federal government.

(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt any rules

necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. (a) Not later than October 1, 2025, the

executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission

shall adopt any necessary rules as required by Section 525.0304,

Government Code, as added by this Act.

(b) The Health and Human Services Commission shall:

(1) begin collecting the information required by

Section 525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later

than November 1, 2025; and

(2) submit the first report required by Section

525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than

January 1, 2027.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.