STATE BUDGET

Texas works on a biennial budget.  Agencies send requests to the Governor between July and September.  The Governor submits a proposed budget by the time of the State of the State Address.  The legislature usually adopts a budget in May, with the fiscal year beginning in September.  The budget is required to be balanced.

STATE LEGISLATURE

The Texas legislature is comprised of a State Senate, with 31 members serving four-year terms, and a House of Representatives, with 150 members serving two-year terms.  State legislative sessions start on noon on the second Tuesday in January of all odd numbered years, and are limited to 140 days.  The state legislature is one of four states that does not meet in even-numbered years.  The Texas Legislature is the constitutional successor of the Congress of the Republic of Texas.

KEY RESOURCES

• Texas Legislature
• Texas Governor
• Texas Attorney General
• Texas Health and Human Services

2025 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

Texas passed SB1318 which imposes additional restriction on noncompete agreements, including access to patient lists. buyout options, permits continuing care, and geographic boundaries for physicians, dentists, nurses and physician assistants. Texas also passed SB1151 which requires insurers to conduct a review of third-party administrators semi-annually for two years, and removes the in-person requirement for such. Additionally, Texas enacted SB926 which allows insurers to use incentives like modified deductibles or copayments to encourage patients to use particular providers. The bill adds that payors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of patients and policyholders when creating incentives or ranking physicians, and has transparency requirements in how physicians are ranked.