Monitoring the Session

HB 1972

bill requiring nutrition coursework at public medical schools

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Tom OliversonRHouse 130

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to requiring coursework in nutrition at public medical schools.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

At least three hours. Doctors, eat your vegetables.

The bill requires every public medical school in Texas to include at least three hours of nutrition coursework in the curriculum needed for a medical degree. The coursework must cover normal calorie intake, diets for people with allergies or chronic conditions, nutrition as a way to prevent disease, and food additives in U.S. products compared with foreign products, and it may not be developed, funded or influenced by drug, food or beverage companies. Students who entered before the 2026 spring semester are exempt, so new medical students get the required nutrition training from then on.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Higher Education committee 10-0 on Apr 17, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1972 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Rep. Tom OliversonRHouse 130 Rep. Suleman LalaniDHouse 76 Rep. Helen KerwinRHouse 58

+ 1 more author

ITEM

relating to requiring coursework in nutrition at public medical schools.

WHAT IT DOES

At least three hours. Doctors, eat your vegetables.

The bill requires every public medical school in Texas to include at least three hours of nutrition coursework in the curriculum needed for a medical degree. The coursework must cover normal calorie intake, diets for people with allergies or chronic conditions, nutrition as a way to prevent disease, and food additives in U.S. products compared with foreign products, and it may not be developed, funded or influenced by drug, food or beverage companies. Students who entered before the 2026 spring semester are exempt, so new medical students get the required nutrition training from then on.

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 14, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Higher Education
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Tom Oliverson

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Tom Oliverson.

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 27, 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.

Money

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

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses5
For
5
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Make Texans Healthy Again1 registration
  • Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
  • Mom’s Meals1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
Sources

5 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 14, 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 H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 22, 2025

04/23/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

House committee · Higher Education · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Education--Higher--Health Institutions

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

EDUCATION--HIGHER--CURRICULUM

NUTRITION

Text

The text as introduced · 314 words

89R4976 CMO-D

By: Oliverson
H.B. No. 1972

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring coursework in nutrition at public medical

schools.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.311 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.311. NUTRITION MEDICAL EDUCATION COURSEWORK. (a)

In this section, "medical school" means:

(1) a medical school as defined by Section 61.501; or

(2) any other institution of higher education, as

defined by Section 61.003, or school, department, or college of

such an institution, that awards medical degrees.

(b) Each medical school shall include in the curriculum

required for a medical degree at least three hours of coursework in

nutrition. The coursework must cover, at a minimum, information

about:

(1) normal caloric intake for healthy adults;

(2) diet modifications for individuals with food

allergies, diabetes, or other chronic conditions that require diet

modification;

(3) the importance of proper nutrition as a primary

strategy to prevent certain diseases and conditions, such as

diabetes, hypertension, and obesity; and

(4) additives commonly found in food and beverage

products produced in the United States, as opposed to food and

beverage products produced in foreign countries.

(c) The coursework required under Subsection (b) may not be

developed, funded, or influenced by a pharmaceutical company or a

food or beverage company.

(d) This section does not apply to the requirements for the

degree program of a student who entered the degree program at a

medical school before the 2026 spring semester. This subsection

expires January 1, 2032.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.