Ceremonies and activities invited. Nobody touched directly.
The bill names the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day in state law. It touches no one directly; it only invites people to observe the day with ceremonies and activities. Nothing changes on the ground beyond a new date on the state's list of special days, starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 485 (Vetoed) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 485 (Vetoed). 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: 124 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 124 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 Senate on May 14, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Public Health committee.
relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice
and Palliative Care Day.
WHAT IT DOES
Ceremonies and activities invited. Nobody touched directly.
The bill names the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day in state law. It touches no one directly; it only invites people to observe the day with ceremonies and activities. Nothing changes on the ground beyond a new date on the state's list of special days, starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 644 (Johnson) Relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
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.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 644 (Johnson) Relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
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.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.
Sources
SB 644 (Johnson) Relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
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.
Fiscal
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Health · Final status: Died in committee
Senate committee · Administration · Committee vote 7 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee
Subjects
HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE DAY (HL7I2)
Health Care Providers
Holidays
Text
The text as introduced · 124 words
89R913 RDS-D
By: Johnson
S.B. No. 644
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice
and Palliative Care Day.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 662, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 662.0815 to read as follows:
Sec. 662.0815. HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE DAY. (a) The
second Saturday in October is Hospice and Palliative Care Day to
bring awareness to the role of hospice and palliative care in
optimizing the quality of life for seriously ill patients and their
families.
(b) Hospice and Palliative Care Day may be regularly
observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring