Legislative Update (3/10)
83 days remain in the legislative session, and things are moving fast. This Friday marks the bill filing deadline, meaning no new legislation can be introduced after that point. With key hearings happening this week, we’re entering a critical phase in advancing our priorities.
Before we dive into the updates, I had the chance to join Lone Star Politics on NBC-DFW yesterday to discuss the Make Texans Healthy Again initiative and what’s happened so far this session. The audio is solid, but excuse the camera quality—looks like my office bandwidth was struggling. I’ll have that sorted before the next one! Watch the interview below.
🔎 Senate Health & Human Services Committee – Wednesday, March 12
A few priority bills will be heard in Senate HHS this week, including SNAP reform, cottage food expansion, and DNA privacy. If you can testify, let me know. The hearing starts at 8 AM in the Senate Chamber, but testimony could go late depending on the schedule. Click here to learn more about the hearing or to send a letter to the members of the committee. (Details)
📆 Other Key Hearings
🛒 House Health and Human Services (View) - Tuesday, 8AM
HB 26 (Hull): Allows Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) in Texas to offer state-approved nutrition counseling services as alternatives to certain standard Medicaid-covered treatments, without mandating patient participation. The bill ensures cost-neutrality and focuses on preventive care through education.
🌾 House Agriculture and Livestock (View) - Tuesday, 2PM
HB 519 (Gonzales): Redefines "honey production operation," removing previous limitations on production volume and sales venues. Clarifies that extracting honey and packaging honeycomb are considered harvesting and packaging raw agricultural commodities, not requiring additional processing.
Legislative Resources: We’ve updated our website with a Legislative Resources section where you can view our full list of priorities and download one-pagers on key bills we’re supporting. Stay informed and help us spread the word! (Learn more)
📰 MAHA in the News
Politico: RFK Jr. set to meet with the food industry to discuss regulatory reform: Read Here
Lone Star Standard: Coverage on the Make America Healthy Again Caucus in the Texas Legislature: Read Here
I hope to see you around the capitol this week!
Travis McCormick
Founder, Make Texans Healthy Again