HB 2446: bill drops affidavits for medical bills of $50,000 or less

Caption

relating to affidavits concerning cost and necessity of services in civil actions.

Summary

No sworn affidavit needed to show the charge was reasonable.

The bill says that in a civil lawsuit, a person who offers a medical bill of $50,000 or less into evidence does not need a sworn affidavit to show the charge was reasonable or the care was necessary. It touches injured people suing for medical costs, the defendants and insurers they sue, and the judges and juries who decide those cases. On the ground, smaller injury cases can prove medical costs with the bill itself instead of paying for an affidavit or expert, starting with lawsuits filed on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 955 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 955 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.QUICK READ: 150 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 150 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 12, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2446 · 2025-02-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr.DHouse 142

ITEM

relating to affidavits concerning cost and necessity of services in civil actions.

WHAT IT DOES

No sworn affidavit needed to show the charge was reasonable.

The bill says that in a civil lawsuit, a person who offers a medical bill of $50,000 or less into evidence does not need a sworn affidavit to show the charge was reasonable or the care was necessary. It touches injured people suing for medical costs, the defendants and insurers they sue, and the judges and juries who decide those cases. On the ground, smaller injury cases can prove medical costs with the bill itself instead of paying for an affidavit or expert, starting with lawsuits filed on or 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 19, 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

Feb 5, 2025Filed
Mar 17, 2025Read first time
Mar 17, 2025Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Apr 23, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 23, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 23, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 23, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 6, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 6, 2025Committee report distributed
May 6, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 7, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 9, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 10, 2025Read 2nd time
May 10, 2025Amended 1-Dutton
May 10, 2025Record vote RV#2113
May 10, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 10, 2025Record vote RV#2114
May 10, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 12, 2025Read 3rd time
May 12, 2025Passed
May 12, 2025Record vote RV#2147
May 12, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 12, 2025Reported engrossed
May 12, 2025Received from the House

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 79 yea · 65 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 12, 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

Harold V. Dutton Jr.

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$66K Texas Sands PAC$58K Charter Schools Now PAC$36K

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 29, 2024 to Oct 17, 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$65,748.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash: $32,500.00
Paid by others: $33,248.00
Total: $65,748.00

mail $33,248.00

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 17, 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: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

Texas Sands PAC$58,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash: $58,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $58,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Feb 3, 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: 100986461, 101044526.

Charter Schools Now PAC$36,000.00

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash: $1,000.00
Paid by others: $35,000.00
Total: $36,000.00

Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 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: 101044523, 101061631.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$65,748.00

Cash: $32,500.00
Paid by others: $33,248.00
Total: $65,748.00

mail $33,248.00

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 17, 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: 100986461, 101011085, 101033172, 101044523, 101044526, 101072841.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$58,000.00

Cash: $58,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $58,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Feb 3, 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: 100986461, 101044526.

×

Charter Schools Now PAC

$36,000.00

Cash: $1,000.00
Paid by others: $35,000.00
Total: $36,000.00

Other filed descriptions $35,000.00

Also funds 89 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jan 22, 2026 to Feb 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: 101044523, 101061631.

Votes3

House May 12, 2025

Yea: 79
Nay: 65
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 3

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2147

HB 2446 was passed by (Record 2147): 79 Yeas, 65 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 79 (published)
Nay: 65 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

House May 10, 2025

Yea: 76
Nay: 48
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 3
Excused: 22

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2114

HB 2446, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 2114): 76 Yeas, 48 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 76 (published)
Nay: 48 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 22 (derived from named list)

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

House May 10, 2025

Yea: 94
Nay: 27
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 6
Excused: 22

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2113

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 2113): 94 Yeas, 27 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 94 (published)
Nay: 27 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
Excused: 22 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses8

For: 2
Against: 6
On: 0

Names

For

Self; Texas Trial Lawyers Association1 registration
Texas Watch1 registration

Against

Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)1 registration
Self; Texans for Judicial Accountability1 registration
Texans for Lawsuit Reform1 registration
Texas Alliance for Patient Access1 registration
Texas Association of Defense Counsel1 registration
Texas Civil Justice League1 registration

Sources

8 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 19, 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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 955

by Rep. Dutton, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 5, 2023: Left pending in committee

Relating to affidavits concerning cost and necessity of services in civil actions.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 5, 2025

05/12/2025 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 · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 10 aye, 1 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

EVIDENCE

Text

The text as introduced · 150 words

89R11477 AMF-D

By: Dutton
H.B. No. 2446

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to affidavits concerning cost and necessity of services in

civil actions.

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

SECTION 1. Section 18.001, Civil Practice and Remedies

Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) If a claimant offers into evidence a medical bill or

other itemized statement of a medical or health care service and

charge totaling $50,000 or less, an affidavit described by

Subsection (b) is not necessary to support a finding of fact by a

judge or jury that the amount charged was reasonable or that the

service was necessary.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an action that commences on or after the effective date of this

Act.

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

Charter Schools Now PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Charter Schools Now PAC

House May 12, 2025

House May 10, 2025

House May 10, 2025

For

Against

88R HB 955