The House Public Health committee will run a broad agenda spanning 89th Legislature implementation, the Rural Health Transformation Program, telehealth, the workforce gap and Office of Inspector General oversight on Thursday, June 4.
When: 9:00 AM, Thursday, June 4, 2026
Where: Room E2.030, Capitol Extension, Austin
Chair: Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R–New Boston (HD-1)
Vice Chair: Rep. Liz Campos, D–San Antonio (HD-119)
Format: Invited and public testimony; length of public testimony subject to the chair’s discretion; electronic public comment accepted on all eight agenda items
Live video: house.texas.gov/video-audio/
Submit comments online: comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c410
The Texas House Committee on Public Health will gavel in at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 4, with members set to take up the implementation of four 89th Legislature health laws, the rollout of a multibillion-dollar federal rural-care program, the state of Texas telehealth, the long-running health-workforce shortage, and the Texas Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The committee will hear invited and public testimony.
Chaired by Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, and vice-chaired by Rep. Liz Campos, D-San Antonio, the 13-member panel is operating under interim charges issued ahead of the 90th Legislature, which convenes in January 2027.
The first charge, Monitoring and Implementation, directs the committee to track the implementation and rulemaking of legislation enacted by the 89th Legislature, with four bills named in the notice: HB 18, on health-care programs in rural counties; HB 37, on perinatal bereavement care and hospital recognition; HB 3000, on a grant program for qualified rural-county ambulance providers; and SB 25, on food labeling, nutrition standards and continuing education for health-care professionals.
The second charge, Texas Rural Health Transformation Program, focuses on the federal funding awarded to Texas under the Rural Health Transformation Program. Members will review the Health and Human Services Commission’s program applications, processes and use of funds, and assess effects on access, rural delivery, behavioral health, telehealth, workforce stability and provider sustainability.
The third charge, Telehealth, asks members to evaluate virtual-care models — access, cost, quality and outcomes — and to recommend ways to modernize health-care technology in Texas.
The fourth charge, Texas Health Care Workforce, looks at current and projected shortages and how they affect access.
The fifth charge, Agency Oversight, directs the committee to monitor agencies under its jurisdiction — including for fraud, waste and abuse — and specifically names the HHS Office of Inspector General as a witness.
Because the meeting is an interim hearing, the committee will gather information and may issue findings rather than advance bills; any responsive legislation would not be filed until the 90th Legislature convenes next January.
Committee members
- Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R–New Boston (HD-1) — Chair
- Rep. Liz Campos, D–San Antonio (HD-119) — Vice Chair
- Rep. John H. Bucy III, D–Austin (HD-136)
- Rep. Nicole Collier, D–Fort Worth (HD-95)
- Rep. Charles Cunningham, R–Kingwood (HD-127)
- Rep. James B. Frank, R–Wichita Falls (HD-69)
- Rep. Ann Johnson, D–Houston (HD-134)
- Rep. Jolanda Jones, D–Houston (HD-147)
- Rep. Mike Olcott, R–Aledo (HD-60)
- Rep. Katrina Pierson, R–Rockwall (HD-33)
- Rep. Mike Schofield, R–Katy (HD-132)
- Rep. Joanne W. Shofner, R–Nacogdoches (HD-11)
- Rep. Lauren A. Simmons, D–Houston (HD-146)