HB 5317
Bell Risk Pool Bill Makes Everything Optional, Including The Pool
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Both charges, and why
New fee, fund, board or appointees
The pool is defined as a new self-insured fund that state agencies can pay into with appropriated money. The caption does say the bill creates a pool.
New fee, fund, board or appointeesList of feelings
THE TEXT
“The Board may authorize the creation of a risk management”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The key verbs are permissive: the board may create the pool and agencies may join it. The one firm duty, that the Office runs the pool, applies only if the board chooses to act.
List of feelingsNeeds review · 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 the establishment of a risk management pool to provide insurance coverage.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
The board “may authorize” a pool. Agencies may join. Nothing has to happen.
The bill lets the board of the State Office of Risk Management set up a self-insured pool that sells insurance coverage to state agencies and public colleges. If the board creates it, the State Office of Risk Management runs the pool, and agencies that meet its criteria may buy coverage with money the Legislature already gives them. Nothing has to happen, because both creating the pool and joining it are optional.
Labels
Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee on Apr 30, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB5317 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the establishment of a risk management pool to provide insurance coverage.
WHAT IT DOES
The board “may authorize” a pool. Agencies may join. Nothing has to happen.
The bill lets the board of the State Office of Risk Management set up a self-insured pool that sells insurance coverage to state agencies and public colleges. If the board creates it, the State Office of Risk Management runs the pool, and agencies that meet its criteria may buy coverage with money the Legislature already gives them. Nothing has to happen, because both creating the pool and joining it are optional.
CHARGES
[x] NEW FEE, FUND, BOARD OR APPOINTEESanalysis confidence 50%
The pool is defined as a new self-insured fund that state agencies can pay into with appropriated money. The caption does say the bill creates a pool.
[x] LIST OF FEELINGSanalysis confidence 40%
THE TEXT
“The Board may authorize the creation of a risk management”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The key verbs are permissive: the board may create the pool and agencies may join it. The one firm duty, that the Office runs the pool, applies only if the board chooses to act.
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · April 29, 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
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Considered in public hearing
- Committee substitute considered in committee
- Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 · Aug 30, 2024 to Apr 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303,416.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$303,416.00
- Cash
- $77,500.00
- Paid by others
- $225,916.00
- Total
- $303,416.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.
DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84,000.00
DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN
$84,000.00
- Cash
- $75,000.00
- Paid by others
- $9,000.00
- Total
- $84,000.00
Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.
Texas Conservative Majority PAC$83,505.68
Texas Conservative Majority PAC
$83,505.68
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $83,505.68
- Total
- $83,505.68
Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 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: 101041213, 101061435.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$303,416.00
- Cash
- $77,500.00
- Paid by others
- $225,916.00
- Total
- $303,416.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.
DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN
$84,000.00
- Cash
- $75,000.00
- Paid by others
- $9,000.00
- Total
- $84,000.00
Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.
Texas Conservative Majority PAC
$83,505.68
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $83,505.68
- Total
- $83,505.68
Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 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: 101041213, 101061435.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · April 29, 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 I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 19, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025
04/30/2025 H Left pending in committee
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:58 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Insurance--General
State Finances--Management & Control
RISK MANAGEMENT, STATE OFFICE OF
Text
The text as introduced · 293 words
By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 5317 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the establishment of a risk management pool to provide insurance coverage. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 412, Labor Code is amended by adding Subchapter G, Section 412.055 and Section 412.056 to read as follows: Subchapter G: RISK MANAGEMENT POOL Sec. 412.055. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Pool" means a self-insured retention fund established under Section 412.056. Sec. 412.056. CREATION OF A RISK MANAGEMENT POOL a. The Board may authorize the creation of a risk management pool for the purpose of providing insurance to state agencies and institutions of higher education. b. The Office shall be the administrator of the risk management pool. c. The risk management pool shall be considered a sponsored policy, as defined in Administrative Code, Chapter 252, Subchapter C, Rule 252.301. SECTION 2 . Sec. 412.057. PARTICIPATION IN POOL. (a) An agency subject to Labor Code, Chapter 501, except for an intuition subject to Chapter 501.022, that meets the criteria established by the risk management pool may: (1) purchase coverage from the pool; and (2) use funds appropriated by the legislature to pay all necessary costs associated with participation in the pool. SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a risk management pool established by the Board of the State Office of Risk Management on or after the effective date of this Act. A risk management pool created before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the award was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.