HB 231

Morales Food Deserts Bill Delivers A Report And Nothing Else

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsReviewed

Rep. Christina MoralesDHouse 145

Why it's charged

Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

“Not later than September 1, 2026, the department shall prepare and submit to each standing committee of the legislature”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only output is a study and a report with recommendations. Any real action on food access waits for a later Legislature.

Study, task force, commission, report

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a study on food deserts and their disproportionate impact among communities of color.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Report due September 1, 2026. The law expires in 2027. Food access waits.

The bill orders the Department of State Health Services to study food deserts, meaning areas with limited access to healthy food, and how they affect communities of color. The department must look at causes, health effects, and costs, compare food access by age, race and income, and write recommendations for the Legislature. Nothing changes on the ground except a written report due to legislative committees by September 1, 2026, and the law expires in 2027.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Public Health subcommittee on Disease Prevention & Women's & Children's Health on Apr 17, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB231 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Christina MoralesDHouse 145

Rep. Linda GarciaDHouse 107

ITEM

relating to a study on food deserts and their disproportionate impact among communities of color.

WHAT IT DOES

Report due September 1, 2026. The law expires in 2027. Food access waits.

CHARGES

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

THE TEXT

“Not later than September 1, 2026, the department shall prepare and submit to each standing committee of the legislature”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only output is a study and a report with recommendations. Any real action on food access waits for a later Legislature.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($571,782)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 16, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB231, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($571,782) 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 · ($571,782)

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

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Feb 27, 2025Read first time
Feb 27, 2025Referred to s/c on Dis Prev & Women's & Children's Health by Speaker
Apr 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Apr 17, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Apr 17, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Apr 17, 2025Left pending in subcommittee

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Christina Morales

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$23K Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$8K Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas$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 · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 10, 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$22,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 · Oct 23, 2024 to Sep 28, 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: 100987507, 101030051, 101061699, 101072155.

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$7,711.42

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$7,711.42

Cash: $500.00
Paid by others: $7,211.42
Total: $7,711.42

Other filed descriptions $5,122.42printing $2,089.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 26, 2024 to Sep 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: 100987507, 101030051, 101072150.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas$5,000.00

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

$5,000.00

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

Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Aug 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: 100987507, 101072150.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 · Oct 23, 2024 to Sep 28, 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: 100987507, 101030051, 101061699, 101072155.

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$7,711.42

Cash: $500.00
Paid by others: $7,211.42
Total: $7,711.42

Other filed descriptions $5,122.42printing $2,089.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 26, 2024 to Sep 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: 100987507, 101030051, 101072150.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas

$5,000.00

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

Also funds 53 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Aug 15, 2024 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Aug 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: 100987507, 101072150.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($571,782)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 16, 2025

First year · FY 2026 · ($571,782)

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 Nov 12, 2024

04/17/2025 H Left pending in subcommittee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 3:08 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

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

Subjects

Health--General

Interim Studies

FOOD

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 282 words

89R1934 JDK-D

By: Morales of Harris
H.B. No. 231

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study on food deserts and their disproportionate

impact among communities of color.

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

SECTION 1. (a) In this section:

(1) "Department" means the Department of State Health

Services.

(2) "Food desert" means a geographic area in this

state the department determines is an area with limited access to

healthy and nutritious food.

(b) The department, in collaboration with any appropriate

state agency, shall conduct a study on food deserts and any

disproportionate impact food deserts have on communities of color.

In conducting the study, the department shall:

(1) investigate the causes of food deserts;

(2) investigate the health effects of food deserts;

(3) investigate the financial impact of food deserts;

(4) compare access to healthy and nutritious food

related to an individual's:

(A) age;

(B) race and ethnicity; and

(C) socioeconomic background; and

(5) investigate the origins of any disproportionate

impact food deserts have on communities of color.

(c) Based on the results of the study conducted under this

section, the department shall develop recommendations for

legislative and other action to:

(1) address disparities in food access among

communities of color; and

(2) increase access to healthy and nutritious food.

(d) Not later than September 1, 2026, the department shall

prepare and submit to each standing committee of the legislature

with primary jurisdiction over the Department of State Health

Services a written report summarizing the results of the study and

including the recommendations developed under this section.

(e) This Act expires September 1, 2027.

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