SB 2267
bill barring insurers from steering emergency patients
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 prohibited steering or directing use of certain facilities for emergency care under certain health benefit plans.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Commercial insurers, HMOs and Medicaid managed care all covered.
The bill makes it an unfair insurance practice for an insurer or HMO, or anyone acting for one, to steer or direct a patient to a certain facility for emergency care. It covers commercial insurers, HMOs and Medicaid managed care organizations, whose state contracts must now require them to follow the same rule. Patients cannot sue under the bill's private-lawsuit sections, so enforcement falls to the state's existing unfair-practice process, starting with plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 11, 2025 and referred to the Senate Health & Human Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2267 · 2025-03-11
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to prohibited steering or directing use of certain facilities for emergency care under certain health benefit plans.
WHAT IT DOES
Commercial insurers, HMOs and Medicaid managed care all covered.
The bill makes it an unfair insurance practice for an insurer or HMO, or anyone acting for one, to steer or direct a patient to a certain facility for emergency care. It covers commercial insurers, HMOs and Medicaid managed care organizations, whose state contracts must now require them to follow the same rule. Patients cannot sue under the bill's private-lawsuit sections, so enforcement falls to the state's existing unfair-practice process, starting with plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Health & Human Services
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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 5, 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 5, 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: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.
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 Senate · Filed Mar 11, 2025
03/25/2025 S Referred to Health & Human Services
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Health & Human Services · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Insurance--Health & Accident
Text
The text as introduced · 353 words
89R12615 SCF-F By: Cook S.B. No. 2267 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to prohibited steering or directing use of certain facilities for emergency care under certain health benefit plans. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 540, Government Code, as effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 540.02611 to read as follows: Sec. 540.02611. COMPLIANCE WITH PROHIBITION ON STEERING TO FACILITY FOR EMERGENCY CARE. A contract to which this subchapter applies must require the contracting Medicaid managed care organization to comply with Section 541.062, Insurance Code. SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 541, Insurance Code, is amended by adding Section 541.062 to read as follows: Sec. 541.062. STEERING OR DIRECTING USE OF FACILITY FOR EMERGENCY CARE PROHIBITED. (a) In this section, "emergency care" has the meaning assigned by Section 4201.002. (b) It is an unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice in the business of insurance for an insurer or health maintenance organization, or an individual or entity acting on behalf of an insurer or health maintenance organization, to steer or direct an enrollee to use a certain facility to obtain emergency care. (c) A violation of this section does not create a private cause of action under Section 541.151 or 541.251. SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing the provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. A health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.