Monitoring the Session

HB 1621

bill creating matching grants for mental health hospital tech

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. John LujanRHouse 118

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 a matching grant program for technological enhancements at hospitals providing mental health care services.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

State matches technology upgrade money.

The bill orders the state health and human services commission to set up a matching grant program that pays for technology upgrades at hospitals providing mental health care. It reaches general hospitals and private mental hospitals licensed in Texas, which must put up non-state money equal to 25 percent of the grant and show how the money will improve mental health care. Hospitals that win grants can spend the money on electronic health record platforms, data sharing between providers, patient access to digital records, data security, and mobile devices, and the commission reports results to the legislature every two years.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 14, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1621 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Rep. John LujanRHouse 118

ITEM

relating to a matching grant program for technological enhancements at hospitals providing mental health care services.

WHAT IT DOES

State matches technology upgrade money.

The bill orders the state health and human services commission to set up a matching grant program that pays for technology upgrades at hospitals providing mental health care. It reaches general hospitals and private mental hospitals licensed in Texas, which must put up non-state money equal to 25 percent of the grant and show how the money will improve mental health care. Hospitals that win grants can spend the money on electronic health record platforms, data sharing between providers, patient access to digital records, data security, and mobile devices, and the commission reports results to the legislature every two years.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unknown cost related to the grant funding needs required to enhance technological capabilities of hospitals.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Public Health
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Passed to engrossment
  19. Record vote RV#2402
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#2473
  24. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the House
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 100 yea · 41 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 14, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

John Lujan

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$305KGreg Abbott Campaign$92KDealon, LLC$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 28, 2024 to Jul 30, 2025. 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$305,300.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$305,300.00

Cash
$305,000.00
Paid by others
$300.00
Total
$305,300.00
fundraiser $300.00

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 · Oct 29, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 100977051, 101012920.

Greg Abbott Campaign$91,570.37

Greg Abbott Campaign

$91,570.37

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$91,570.37
Total
$91,570.37
digital $42,596.82canvassing $41,351.50texting $7,403.50travel $218.55

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Dealon, LLC$25,000.00

Dealon, LLC

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 30, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$305,300.00

Cash
$305,000.00
Paid by others
$300.00
Total
$305,300.00
fundraiser $300.00

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 · Oct 29, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 100977051, 101012920.

×

Greg Abbott Campaign

$91,570.37

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$91,570.37
Total
$91,570.37
digital $42,596.82canvassing $41,351.50texting $7,403.50travel $218.55

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100977051.

×

Dealon, LLC

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 30, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Votes2

House May 14, 2025

Yea
100
Nay
41
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
3
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2473

HB 1621 was passed by (Record 2473): 100 Yeas, 41 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 100 (published)
  • Nay: 41 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 13, 2025

Yea
89
Nay
44
Present, not voting
2
Absent
5
Excused
10
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2402

CSHB 1621 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2402): 89 Yeas, 44 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 89 (published)
  • Nay: 44 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 10 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses19
For
18
Against
0
On
1
Names

For

  • AARP TX1 registration
  • Children’s Hospital Association of Texas1 registration
  • DHR Health1 registration
  • El Paso Children’s Hospital1 registration
  • Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
  • NAMI Texas1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Universal Health Services-Behavioral Health1 registration
  • Teaching Hospitals of Texas1 registration
  • Texans Care for Children1 registration
  • Texas Association of Behavioral Health Systems1 registration
  • Texas e-Health Alliance1 registration
  • Texas Health Resources1 registration
  • Texas Hospital Association, Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds, Clarity Child Guidance Center1 registration
  • Texas Psychological Association1 registration
  • TexProtects1 registration
  • The National Association of Social Workers- Texas Chapter1 registration
  • University Health1 registration

On

  • HHSC1 registration
Sources

19 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined due to the unknown cost related to the grant funding needs required to enhance technological capabilities of hospitals.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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 Dec 13, 2024

05/15/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Public Health · Committee vote 11 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 151 by Menéndez (similar)

Subjects

Electronic Information Systems

Hospitals

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

State Finances--Management & Control

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

Text

The text as introduced · 462 words

89R5617 MPF-D

By: Lujan
H.B. No. 1621

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a matching grant program for technological enhancements

at hospitals providing mental health care services.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 547, Government Code, as effective April

1, 2025, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER K. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR TECHNOLOGICAL

ENHANCEMENTS AT HOSPITALS PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES

Sec. 547.0501. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only

to:

(1) a hospital licensed under Chapter 241, Health and

Safety Code; or

(2) a hospital licensed under Chapter 577, Health and

Safety Code.

Sec. 547.0502. ESTABLISHMENT OF MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.

The commission shall establish a matching grant program to enhance

the technological capabilities of hospitals providing mental

health care services in this state.

Sec. 547.0503. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT AWARD. To be eligible

for a grant under this subchapter, a hospital must:

(1) demonstrate the hospital's planned uses for the

grant money and matching funds to improve the quality of and access

to mental health care services in this state;

(2) align with the interoperability and technology

standards in the 21st Century Cures Act (Pub. L. No. 114-255); and

(3) meet any additional eligibility criteria the

commission establishes.

Sec. 547.0504. HOSPITAL MATCHING REQUIREMENT. (a) The

commission shall condition each grant provided to a hospital under

this subchapter on the hospital providing funds from non-state

sources in an amount equal to 25 percent of the grant amount.

(b) To raise the required non-state sourced funds, the

hospital may seek and receive gifts, grants, or donations from any

person.

Sec. 547.0505. ACCEPTABLE USES OF GRANT MONEY AND MATCHING

FUNDS. A hospital awarded a grant under this subchapter may use the

grant money and matching funds to:

(1) purchase a data recording platform for certified

electronic health data;

(2) expand the interoperability of health information

in the hospital or as part of a network with other health care

providers;

(3) expand a patient's access to the patient's digital

health records and mental health care services;

(4) improve information technology infrastructure for

data privacy and patient information security, including consent

management; and

(5) improve the efficiency of mental health care

service provision through the use and interconnectivity of mobile

devices.

Sec. 547.0506. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The

commission may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from

any source to award grants under this subchapter.

Sec. 547.0507. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than December 1

of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a report to

the legislature regarding the results of the matching grant program

administered under this subchapter.

Sec. 547.0508. RULES. The commission may adopt any rules

necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.