Texas House Bill HB 514

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 11/12/24
• Out of House Committee: 4/29/25
• Voted on by House: 5/6/25

Caption

Relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign.

Summary

HB 514 would direct the Texas Department of State Health Services to create and carry out a public outreach campaign aimed at expanding the maternal health care workforce. The bill defines “maternal health care professional” broadly to include licensed or certified providers involved in pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum care, and nonmedical support such as doulas. The campaign is intended to increase the number of maternal health care professionals, especially in rural communities and other areas with shortages. The bill also requires the campaign to emphasize continuing education, trauma-informed care training, and workforce development programs that can grow the number of providers, including providers from racial and ethnic minority groups. It further directs the department to support efforts that expand the overall capacity of maternal health care services, including investments in equipment, locations, and programs that improve access for underserved women and minority communities. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission must adopt rules to implement the new section, and the act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Impact

HB 514 amends the Texas Health and Safety Code by adding Section 32.022 to create a new state-level maternal health workforce campaign. It places implementation duties on the Department of State Health Services and rulemaking authority on the HHSC executive commissioner, but it does not create a direct licensing change or mandate a new benefit program. Its practical effect is to steer state public health efforts toward workforce recruitment, training, and capacity-building in maternal care, with particular attention to rural access and underserved populations.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have generally favorable support in the House, passing second reading 87-52 and third reading 85-57, which suggests a majority backing but not broad bipartisan unanimity. The available context shows no committee transcript debate, so the recorded sentiment is inferred mainly from the floor votes and the bill’s advancement to the Senate. Overall, the measure seems to have been viewed as a maternal health access initiative with enough support to pass, while still drawing meaningful opposition.

Contention

The main points of contention likely center on the bill’s policy approach and scope rather than its basic goal. Supporters appear to favor state action to address maternal care shortages, especially in rural areas, expand trauma-informed training, and increase representation of minority health professionals. Opponents may have questioned the need for a state-run outreach campaign, the use of available resources for implementation, or the inclusion of broader workforce and equity-focused priorities such as support for doulas, minority recruitment, and investments in facilities and equipment. The vote margins indicate some resistance, but no specific committee objections are available in the record provided.