HB 1896: bill widening mental health leave for telecommunicators

Caption

relating to a mental health leave policy for certain telecommunicators.

Summary

Emergency medical services workers in a similar capacity now count.

The bill widens the definition of telecommunicator in the state law that already requires agencies to adopt a mental health leave policy for those workers. It now covers people working in a similar capacity under the emergency medical services chapter of the Health and Safety Code, not just those licensed under the Occupations Code section for telecommunicators. Agencies covered by the law must adopt the required leave policy as soon as practicable after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 131 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 131 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 13, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Criminal Justice committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1896 · 2025-01-16

SOLD BY

Rep. Sheryl ColeDHouse 46

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

ITEM

relating to a mental health leave policy for certain telecommunicators.

WHAT IT DOES

Emergency medical services workers in a similar capacity now count.

The bill widens the definition of telecommunicator in the state law that already requires agencies to adopt a mental health leave policy for those workers. It now covers people working in a similar capacity under the emergency medical services chapter of the Health and Safety Code, not just those licensed under the Occupations Code section for telecommunicators. Agencies covered by the law must adopt the required leave policy as soon as practicable after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 27, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Jan 16, 2025Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to Public Health
Apr 28, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 28, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 28, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 28, 2025Left pending in committee
May 1, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 1, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 5, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 5, 2025Committee report distributed
May 6, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 7, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 9, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 12, 2025Read 2nd time
May 12, 2025Amended 1-Cole
May 12, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 12, 2025Record vote RV#2208
May 12, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 13, 2025Read 3rd time
May 13, 2025Passed
May 13, 2025Record vote RV#2274
May 13, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 13, 2025Reported engrossed
May 14, 2025Received from the House
May 15, 2025Read first time
May 15, 2025Referred to Criminal Justice

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 106 yea · 28 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 13, 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

Sheryl Cole

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$10K Texas Sands PAC$8K Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC$5K

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 29, 2024 to Jun 29, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$10,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Apr 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: 100988744, 101010769, 101029923, 101061103.

Texas Sands PAC$8,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$8,000.00

Cash: $8,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $8,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 3, 2024 to Jun 29, 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: 100988744, 101061103.

Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC$5,000.00

Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC

$5,000.00

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $5,000.00

Also funds 81 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 6, 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: 101029923.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Apr 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: 100988744, 101010769, 101029923, 101061103.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$8,000.00

Cash: $8,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $8,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 3, 2024 to Jun 29, 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: 100988744, 101061103.

×

Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC

$5,000.00

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $5,000.00

Also funds 81 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 6, 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: 101029923.

Votes2

House May 13, 2025

Yea: 106
Nay: 28
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 2
Excused: 12

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2274

HB 1896 was passed by (Record 2274): 106 Yeas, 28 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 106 (published)
Nay: 28 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 12 (derived from named list)

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

House May 12, 2025

Yea: 126
Nay: 11
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 6
Excused: 5

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2208

HB 1896, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 2208): 126 Yeas, 11 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 126 (published)
Nay: 11 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses16

For: 16
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Austin Police Association1 registration
City of Fort Worth1 registration
Dallas Police Association1 registration
Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #391 registration
Self3 registrations
Self; Austin EMS Association1 registration
Self; Equity Action1 registration
Sheriffs’ Association of Texas1 registration
Texas AFL-CIO1 registration
Texas Municipal Police Association1 registration
Texas Police Chiefs Association1 registration
Texas Psychological Assocation1 registration
Texas State Employees Union1 registration
Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration

Sources

16 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 significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 27, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

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 Jan 16, 2025

05/15/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice

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 10 aye, 1 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Fire Fighters & Police--General

Health--Emergency Services & Personnel

Law Enforcement

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & LEAVE

TELECOMMUNICATORS

Text

The text as introduced · 131 words

89R8355 JBD-D

By: Cole
H.B. No. 1896

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a mental health leave policy for certain

telecommunicators.

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

SECTION 1. Section 614.015(a)(2), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(2) "Telecommunicator" means a person authorized to

act as a telecommunicator under Section 1701.405, Occupations Code ,

or in a similar capacity under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code .

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, each agency required to adopt a mental health leave

policy under Section 614.015, Government Code, as amended by this

Act, shall adopt a mental health leave policy as prescribed by that

section.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texans for Reasonable Solutions PAC

House May 13, 2025

House May 12, 2025

For