Monitoring the Session

SB 331

Clinics Have Until 2029 To Post Prices Under Kolkhorst Bill

Became law

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18
Why it's charged
Delayed start

THE TEXT

…“shall disclose the information in accordance with that chapter not later than August 31, 2029”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill takes effect in 2025, but the core duty to disclose prices does not have to be met until August 31, 2029. That is more than four years after the session and well past the November 3, 2026 election.

Delayed start

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 the disclosure of health care cost information by certain health care facilities; imposing an administrative penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Urgent care, freestanding ERs and surgical centers must post prices. Deadline: August 31, 2029!

The bill widens the state's health care price disclosure law from licensed hospitals to nearly any licensed facility, including freestanding ERs, urgent care and retail clinics, outpatient clinics, birthing centers and surgical centers. It also lets the state health commission fine any covered facility that ignores a request for a corrective plan or fails to follow one. Newly covered facilities, however, do not have to post their billing information until August 31, 2029.

Labels

Labels: BUZZER BEATER. Final vote May 31, 2025: both chambers adopted the conference committee report. 2 days before the session ended Jun 2, 2025.INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 945 (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.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB331 · 2024-11-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

ITEM

relating to the disclosure of health care cost information by certain health care facilities; imposing an administrative penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Urgent care, freestanding ERs and surgical centers must post prices. Deadline: August 31, 2029!

The bill widens the state's health care price disclosure law from licensed hospitals to nearly any licensed facility, including freestanding ERs, urgent care and retail clinics, outpatient clinics, birthing centers and surgical centers. It also lets the state health commission fine any covered facility that ignores a request for a corrective plan or fails to follow one. Newly covered facilities, however, do not have to post their billing information until August 31, 2029.

CHARGES

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 80%

THE TEXT

…“shall disclose the information in accordance with that chapter not later than August 31, 2029”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill takes effect in 2025, but the core duty to disclose prices does not have to be met until August 31, 2029. That is more than four years after the session and well past the November 3, 2026 election.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 30, 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Health & Human Services
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  13. Committee report printed and distributed
  14. Placed on intent calendar
  15. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Kolkhorst
  18. Amended
  19. Vote recorded in Journal
  20. Passed to engrossment as amended
  21. Vote recorded in Journal
  22. Three day rule suspended
  23. Record vote
  24. Read 3rd time
  25. Passed
  26. Record vote
  27. Reported engrossed
  28. Received from the Senate
  29. Read first time
  30. Referred to Public Health
  31. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  32. Considered in public hearing
  33. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  34. Left pending in committee
  35. Considered in public hearing
  36. Committee substitute considered in committee
  37. Reported favorably as substituted
  38. Considered in public hearing
  39. Vote reconsidered in committee
  40. Committee substitute considered in committee
  41. Reported favorably as substituted
  42. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  43. Committee report distributed
  44. Committee report sent to Calendars
  45. Considered in Calendars
  46. Placed on General State Calendar
  47. Read 2nd time
  48. Passed to 3rd reading
  49. Record vote RV#3820
  50. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  51. Read 3rd time
  52. Amended 1-Frank
  53. Passed as amended
  54. Record vote RV#3917
  55. House passage as amended reported
  56. House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
  57. Read
  58. Senate refuses to concur
  59. Senate requests conference committee
  60. Senate appoints conferees
  61. Senate refuses to concur-reported
  62. Senate requests conference committee-reported
  63. Senate appoints conferees-reported
  64. House grants request for conference committee
  65. House appoints conferees
  66. House grants request for conf comm-reported
  67. House appoints conferees-reported
  68. Conference committee report filed
  69. Conf. Comm. Report distributed
  70. House adopts conference committee report
  71. Record vote RV#4117
  72. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  73. Senate adopts conference committee report
  74. Record vote
  75. Senate adopts conf. comm. report-reported
  76. House adopts conf. comm. report-reported
  77. Reported enrolled
  78. Signed in the Senate
  79. Signed in the House
  80. Sent to the Governor
  81. Signed by the Governor
  82. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 133 yea · 4 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 22, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Lois Kolkhorst

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60KBorder Health PAC$35KSRR Ranches, LLC$30K

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 11, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 19, 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.

Report IDs: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

Border Health PAC$35,000.00

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 2024. 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: 101012417.

SRR Ranches, LLC$30,000.00

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 101012417, 101070754.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 19, 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.

Report IDs: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

×

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 2024. 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: 101012417.

×

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 101012417, 101070754.

Votes7

Senate May 31, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

On motion of Senator Kolkhorst, the Conference Committee Report was adopted by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House May 31, 2025

Yea
128
Nay
0
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
14
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 4117

Representative Frank moved to adopt the conference committee report on SB 331. The motion to adopt the conference committee report on SB 331 prevailed by (Record 4117): 128 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 128 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 14 (derived from named list)

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

House May 28, 2025

Yea
133
Nay
4
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
7
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3917

SB 331, as amended, was passed by (Record 3917): 133 Yeas, 4 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 133 (published)
  • Nay: 4 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea
110
Nay
11
Present, not voting
2
Absent
24
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3820

CSSB 331 was passed to third reading by (Record 3820): 110 Yeas, 11 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 110 (published)
  • Nay: 11 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 24 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Kolkhorst moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 331 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Kolkhorst moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 331 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

CSSB 331 as amended was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses29
For
19
Against
4
On
6
Names

For

  • AARP Texas1 registration
  • Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission1 registration
  • Cicero Action1 registration
  • Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity1 registration
  • Make Texans Healthy Again1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Americans for Prosperity2 registrations
  • Self; Americans for Prosperity, Texas1 registration
  • Self; Texas Public Policy Foundation2 registrations
  • Self; The LIBRE Initiative1 registration
  • Texans for Affordable Healthcare1 registration
  • Texas 20361 registration
  • Texas Association of Business2 registrations
  • Texas Association of Health Plans1 registration
  • Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition1 registration
  • Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society1 registration
  • Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society1 registration
  • Texas Chapter American College of Physicians1 registration

On

  • HHSC3 registrations
  • Texas 20361 registration
  • Texas Medical Association1 registration
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration
Sources

29 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.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 30, 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 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R SB 945

by Sen. Kolkhorst, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 6, 2023: Referred to Public Health

Relating to the disclosure of certain health care cost information by certain health care facilities; authorizing an administrative penalty.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 13, 2024

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Sponsors
James FrankRHouse 69

House committee · Public Health · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Health & Human Services · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Health Care Providers

Hospitals

Occupational Regulation--Health Occupations

BIRTHING CENTERS

MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES

Text

The text as introduced · 252 words

89R3696 JDK-D

By: Kolkhorst
S.B. No. 331

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the disclosure of health care cost information by

certain health care facilities; imposing an administrative

penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 327.001(7), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(7) "Facility" means a hospital , freestanding

emergency medical care facility, urgent care or retail clinic,

outpatient clinic, birthing center, ambulatory surgical center, or

other facility that is licensed to provide health care services in

this state [ licensed under Chapter 241 ].

SECTION 2. Section 327.008(a), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) The commission may impose an administrative penalty on a

facility [ in accordance with Chapter 241 ] if the facility fails to:

(1) respond to the commission's request to submit a

corrective action plan; or

(2) comply with the requirements of a corrective

action plan submitted to the commission.

SECTION 3. A health care facility required to disclose

billing information under Chapter 327, Health and Safety Code, as

amended by this Act, shall disclose the information in accordance

with that chapter not later than August 31, 2029.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.