Monitoring the Session

HB 2477

bill requires state health plans to cover doulas

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146

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 coverage for doula services under certain group benefit plans for governmental employees and retirees.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

State, teacher retiree, school employee, UT and A&M plans.

The bill requires state health plans for government workers and retirees to cover doula services, defined as nonmedical childbirth education, coaching, and support during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and after birth. It touches the state employee plan, the teacher retiree plan, the active school employee plan, and the University of Texas and Texas A&M employee plans. Starting with plan years beginning January 1, 2026, people on those plans would have doula support covered.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 5, 2025 and referred to the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2477 · 2025-02-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146

ITEM

relating to coverage for doula services under certain group benefit plans for governmental employees and retirees.

WHAT IT DOES

State, teacher retiree, school employee, UT and A&M plans.

The bill requires state health plans for government workers and retirees to cover doula services, defined as nonmedical childbirth education, coaching, and support during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and after birth. It touches the state employee plan, the teacher retiree plan, the active school employee plan, and the University of Texas and Texas A&M employee plans. Starting with plan years beginning January 1, 2026, people on those plans would have doula support covered.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Lauren Ashley Simmons

Donors

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KTexas Sands PAC$12K

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 23, 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 Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17,454.66

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

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 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101072739.

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 16, 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: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

Texas Sands PAC$12,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

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 Oct 20, 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: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

Money

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

×

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

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 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101072739.

×

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 16, 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: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

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 Oct 20, 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: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 Feb 5, 2025

03/17/2025 H Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services: Mar 17 2025 2:32PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Insurance--Health & Accident

State Employees

Women

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH

Text

The text as introduced · 380 words

89R9520 SCF-D

By: Simmons
H.B. No. 2477

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to coverage for doula services under certain group benefit

plans for governmental employees and retirees.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is

amended by adding Section 1551.232 to read as follows:

Sec. 1551.232. COVERAGE FOR DOULA SERVICES. (a) In this

section, "doula services" means nonmedical childbirth education,

coaching, and support services, including emotional and physical

support provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the

postpartum period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy and

the postpartum period.

(b) A health benefit plan provided under the group benefits

program must provide coverage for doula services.

SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1575, Insurance Code, is

amended by adding Section 1575.175 to read as follows:

Sec. 1575.175. COVERAGE FOR DOULA SERVICES. (a) In this

section, "doula services" means nonmedical childbirth education,

coaching, and support services, including emotional and physical

support provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the

postpartum period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy and

the postpartum period.

(b) A basic plan provided under the group program must

provide coverage for doula services.

SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is

amended by adding Section 1579.113 to read as follows:

Sec. 1579.113. COVERAGE FOR DOULA SERVICES. (a) In this

section, "doula services" means nonmedical childbirth education,

coaching, and support services, including emotional and physical

support provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the

postpartum period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy and

the postpartum period.

(b) A health coverage plan provided under this chapter must

provide coverage for doula services.

SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 1601, Insurance Code, is

amended by adding Section 1601.112 to read as follows:

Sec. 1601.112. COVERAGE FOR DOULA SERVICES. (a) In this

section, "doula services" means nonmedical childbirth education,

coaching, and support services, including emotional and physical

support provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the

postpartum period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy and

the postpartum period.

(b) A health benefit plan provided under this chapter must

provide coverage for doula services.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a plan year that commences on or after January 1, 2026.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.