House Committee on Public Health

Committee Leadership

Chair

Gary VanDeaver (R)

House District 1

New Boston

Vice Chair

Elizabeth Campos (D)

House District 119

San Antonio

Committee Composition

Committee Membership

VanDeaver, Gary (R) House District 1 New Boston Campos, Elizabeth (D) House District 119 San Antonio Bucy III, John (D) House District 136 Austin Collier, Nicole (D) House District 95 Fort Worth Cunningham, Charles (R) House District 127 Humble Frank, James (R) House District 69 Wichita Falls Johnson, Ann (D) House District 134 Houston Jones, Jolanda (D) House District 147 Houston Olcott, Mike (R) House District 60 Aledo Pierson, Katrina (R) House District 33 Rockwall Schofield, Mike (R) House District 132 Katy Shofner, Joanne (R) House District 11 Nacogdoches Simmons, Lauren Ashley (D) House District 146 Houston

Most Recent Session Activity

Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.

Interim Charges

• Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature, including the following:
  • HB 18, relating to the establishment and administration of certain programs and services providing health care services to rural counties;
  • HB 37, relating to perinatal bereavement care provided by certain hospitals, a perinatal bereavement care initiative, and a perinatal bereavement care hospital recognition program;
  • HB 3000, relating to a grant program to provide financial assistance to qualified ambulance service providers in certain rural counties;
  • SB 25, relating to health and nutrition standards to promote healthy living, including requirements for food labeling, primary and secondary education, higher education, and continuing education for certain health care professionals; and
  • SB 2308, relating to the establishment of a consortium to conduct FDA drug development clinical trials with ibogaine for treatment of opioid use disorder and co-occurring conditions.
• Texas Rural Health Transformation Program: Study the implementation and impact of federal funding awarded to Texas under the Rural Health Transformation Program. Review the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s program applications, processes, and use of funds. Assess how the program may affect access to care, rural health care delivery, behavioral health and telehealth services, workforce stability, and provider sustainability.
• Social Media’s Impact on Youth Health and Well-Being: Study the impact of social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies on the mental health, cognitive development, and behavioral well-being of minors in Texas.
• Artificial Intelligence Use in Health Care: Study the use of artificial intelligence in the health care system to improve access, quality, and efficiency of care, while evaluating potential risks to patient safety, privacy, and access to care for Texans.
• Public Health Trends and Prevention: Review current data on communicable diseases and emerging public health threats in Texas. Examine strategies to address rising rates of chronic diseases. Evaluate effective interventions for substance use disorders. Study opportunities to reduce morbidity and mortality among Texans.
• Texas Health Care Workforce: Review the current and projected health care workforce shortage in Texas and make recommendations to reduce its impact on access to care and service delivery.
• Telehealth: Evaluate the use of telehealth and virtual care models in Texas, including their impact on access, cost, quality, and patient outcomes, and recommend opportunities to modernize health care technology.
• Infant Mortality Prevention: Study infant mortality rates in Texas. Consider evidence-based prevention strategies and make recommendations to reduce preventable infant deaths. Examine interventions including coordinated infant mortality prevention infrastructure addressing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), and complications from preterm birth and low birthweight.
• Agency Oversight: Monitor the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable. The jurisdiction of the Public Health Committee includes the following agencies:
  • The Health and Human Services Commission and Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council as it relates to the subject matter jurisdiction of the Committee;
  • The Department of State Health Services; The State Anatomical Advisory Committee; The Texas Funeral Service Commission;
  • The Hearing Instrument Fitters and Dispensers Advisory Board; The Texas Health Services Authority; The Texas Optometry Board;
  • The Texas Radiation Advisory Board; The Texas State Board of Pharmacy; The Texas Board of Nursing;
  • The Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners; The Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners; The Massage Therapy Advisory Board;
  • The Podiatric Medical Examiners Advisory Board; The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; The Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists;
  • The Behavior Analyst Advisory Board; The State Board of Dental Examiners; The Texas Medical Board;
  • The Advisory Board of Athletic Trainers; The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas; The Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners;
  • The Health Professions Council; The Office of Patient Protection; The Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; and The Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium.