HB 2188

Nurse Aide ‘Transition’ Bill Orders A Plan, Then Expires

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

All 3 charges, and why

Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

…“jointly develop an operational plan for transitioning the nurse”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill does not transfer the program. It only orders a plan and a workgroup report due December 1, 2026, so any real change waits on a future legislature.

Study, task force, commission, report

Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

…“relating to the transition of the nurse aide certification program”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption reads like the program is being moved, but the body only orders a plan for a move. The workgroup part of the caption is described honestly.

Caption mismatch

Delayed start

THE TEXT

“SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The only deliverables are reports due December 1, 2026, after the November 3, 2026 election, and the Act expires weeks later.

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 the transition of the nurse aide certification program from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Board of Nursing and the creation of a workgroup on nursing career pathways.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: transition. Bill: a plan and reports by December 1, 2026. The whole Act expires weeks later!

This bill orders the Texas Board of Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission to write a plan for moving the nurse aide certification program from the commission to the nursing board. It also has the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies set up a workgroup of state agency heads and health care professionals to study lining up the career paths of nurse aides, medication aides and personal care technicians into nursing. Nothing moves and no rule changes; both groups send reports by December 1, 2026, and the whole Act expires January 1, 2027.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Public Health committee 13-0 on Apr 28, 2025. Placed on the General State Calendar on May 13, 2025. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2188 · 2025-01-29

SOLD BY

Rep. Donna HowardDHouse 48

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: transition. Bill: a plan and reports by December 1, 2026. The whole Act expires weeks later!

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 90%

THE TEXT

…“jointly develop an operational plan for transitioning the nurse”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill does not transfer the program. It only orders a plan and a workgroup report due December 1, 2026, so any real change waits on a future legislature.

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

…“relating to the transition of the nurse aide certification program”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption reads like the program is being moved, but the body only orders a plan for a move. The workgroup part of the caption is described honestly.

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

“SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The only deliverables are reports due December 1, 2026, after the November 3, 2026 election, and the Act expires weeks later.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($20,000)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 4, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2188, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($30,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($20,000)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Jan 29, 2025Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to Public Health
Apr 14, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 14, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 14, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 14, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 28, 2025Vote reconsidered in committee
Apr 28, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 7, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 7, 2025Committee report distributed
May 8, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 11, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 13, 2025Placed on General State Calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donna Howard

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15K Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$8K HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7K

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 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Oct 2, 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: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee$7,500.00

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash: $7,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100985297, 101069647.

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund$7,000.00

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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: 101059636.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Oct 2, 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: 100985297, 101031291, 101059636, 101070104.

Texas Association of Nurse Anesthetists Political Action Committee

$7,500.00

Cash: $7,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,500.00

Also funds 38 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 19, 2024 to Oct 5, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100985297, 101069647.

HDCC Incumbent Protection Fund

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 8 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 22, 2025 to May 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 21, 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: 101059636.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses11

For: 9
Against: 0
On: 2

Names

For

AARP Texas1 registration
Methodist Healthcare Ministries1 registration
Opportunity Austin1 registration
Self1 registration
Teaching hospitals of texas1 registration
Texas Association of Business1 registration
Texas Business Leadership Council1 registration
Texas Nurses Association, Nursing Legislative Coalition1 registration
University Medical Center of El Paso1 registration

On

Department of State Health Services1 registration
HHSC1 registration

Sources

11 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

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($20,000)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version H · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 4, 2025

First year · FY 2026 · ($20,000)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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 29, 2025

05/13/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

House committee · Public Health · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1815 by Hancock (identical)

Subjects

Interim Studies

Occupational Regulation--Health Occupations

NURSES & NURSE AIDES

EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD, TEXAS

NURSING, TEXAS BOARD OF

WORKFORCE COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 414 words

89R6069 AND-D

By: Howard
H.B. No. 2188

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the transition of the nurse aide certification program

from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Board of

Nursing and the creation of a workgroup on nursing career pathways.

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

SECTION 1. NURSE AIDE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. (a) The Texas

Board of Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall

jointly develop an operational plan for transitioning the nurse

aide certification program from the Health and Human Services

Commission to the Texas Board of Nursing. The study must include

all financial, operational, and other relevant considerations

necessary for the transition.

(b) Not later than December 1, 2026, the Texas Board of

Nursing and the Health and Human Services Commission shall submit

the plan developed under this section to the governor, the

lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,

and each standing committee of the legislature with primary

jurisdiction over nursing.

SECTION 2. NURSING CAREER PATHWAYS. (a) The Texas Center

for Nursing Workforce Studies shall establish and oversee a

workgroup to assess the feasibility of better aligning the

certification and career pathways of nurse aides, medication aides,

and personal care technicians into the nursing profession.

(b) The workgroup must include:

(1) the executive head of each of the following

entities, or that person's designated representative:

(A) the Texas Board of Nursing;

(B) the Health and Human Services Commission;

(C) the Texas Workforce Commission;

(D) the Texas Education Agency; and

(E) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating

Board; and

(2) relevant academic or health care professionals.

(c) In conducting the assessment under this section, the

workgroup shall consider and evaluate:

(1) the standards, regulations, and laws currently

impacting the nursing profession;

(2) the feasibility of alignment in certification

requirements for nurse aides, medication aides, and personal care

technicians to minimize duplicative efforts in the educational

pathways in nursing; and

(3) the present and future impact of new business

practices and advancing technologies in health care.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2026, the workgroup

established under this section shall submit a report summarizing

the results of the assessment conducted under this section to the

governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of

representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature

with primary jurisdiction over nursing.

SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September

1, 2025.