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SB815

Signed by Governor
Authored by Charles Schwertner (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to use of artificial intelligence in utilization review conducted for health benefit plans.
Initially Referred to Senate Business & Commerce Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to House Insurance Committee, chaired by a Republican

SB 815 prohibits utilization review agents from using artificial intelligence-based algorithms as the sole determinant for denying, delaying, or modifying healthcare services under health benefit plans based on medical necessity or appropriateness. Only licensed healthcare providers or physicians can make such determinations. The bill also grants the Commissioner of Insurance authority to audit and inspect the use of AI in utilization reviews at any time.

Co-authors: Blanco (D); Cook (D); Hughes (R)
Sponsors: Spiller (R)
Co-sponsors: Hayes (R)

(S) Hayes signed onto the bill as
(S) Spiller signed onto the bill as

Jan 16, 2025

(S) Schwertner signed onto the bill as Author
(S) Received by the Secretary of the Senate
(S) Filed

Feb 7, 2025

(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Business & Commerce, chaired by a Republican

Feb 27, 2025

(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Testimony taken in committee
(S) Left pending in committee

Mar 6, 2025

(S) Cook signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized

Mar 11, 2025

(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Vote taken in committee

Mar 13, 2025

(S) Reported favorably as substituted
(S) Committee report printed and distributed

Mar 18, 2025

(S) Placed on intent calendar

Mar 20, 2025

(S) Not again placed on intent calendar

Mar 25, 2025

(S) Placed on intent calendar

Mar 26, 2025

(S) Blanco signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Hughes signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized
(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Record vote

20250326_SB815_2R: Yea 25 (R 15, D 10) - Nay 5 (R 5, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Menendez; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
Nay - Bettencourt; Creighton; Hancock; Kolkhorst; Perry
Present, Not Voting - Miles
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
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(S) Read 2nd time
(S) Amendment(s) offered

20250326_SB815_FA1: Yea 30 (R 20, D 10) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
Present, Not Voting - Miles
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
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(S) Amended
(S) Vote recorded in Journal
(S) Passed to engrossment as amended

20250326_SB815_E: Yea 30 (R 20, D 10) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
Present, Not Voting - Miles
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Record Vote
(S) Three day rule suspended
(S) Record vote
(S) Read 3rd time
(S) Passed

20250326_SB815_3R: Yea 30 (R 20, D 10) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; West; Zaffirini
Present, Not Voting - Miles
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Record vote
(S) Reported engrossed

Mar 27, 2025

(H) Received from the Senate

Apr 9, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House Insurance, chaired by a Republican

Apr 23, 2025

(H) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(H) Considered in public hearing
(H) Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
(H) Left pending in committee

Apr 28, 2025

(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

May 2, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed

May 5, 2025

(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

May 20, 2025

(H) Considered in Calendars

May 23, 2025

(H) Placed on General State Calendar
(H) Read 2nd time
(H) Passed to 3rd reading
(H) Record vote

RV#3418: Yea 127 (R 76, D 51) - Nay 4 (R 4, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, L.; Geren; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris Davila; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Isaac; Jones, J.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales Shaw; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu
Nay - Gates; Harrison; Lowe; Slawson
Absent - Bowers; Cain; Gervin-Hawkins; Jones, V.; Reynolds; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline
Present, Not Voting - Burrows
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Rhetta Bowers: "When Record No. 3418 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Ron Reynolds: "When Record No. 3418 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

May 24, 2025

(H) Rules suspended
(H) Additional sponsor(s) authorized
(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H) Record vote

RV#3465: Yea 116 (R 67, D 49) - Nay 13 (R 13, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Hayes; Hefner; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hunter; Isaac; Jones, J.; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Moody; Morales, E.; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zweiner
Nay - Fairly; Harrison; Hull; Leo Wilson; Lowe; Money; Schatzline; Shofner; Slawson; Tinderholt; Toth; Villalobos; Virdell
Absent - Canales; Guerra; Hernandez; King; Little; Louderback; Martinez; Morales Shaw; Oliverson; Simmons
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Geren
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
AJ Louderback: "When Record No. 3465 was taken, I was temporarily out of the house chamber. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
David Lowe: "When Record No. 3465 was taken, I was shown voting no. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Terri Leo Wilson: "When Record No. 3465 was taken, I was shown voting no. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

May 25, 2025

(S) House passage reported

May 26, 2025

(S) Reported enrolled

May 27, 2025

(H) Signed in the House
(E) Sent to the Governor

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Thu 2/27/2025) Testifying before S Business & Commerce as Jamie Dudensing for Texas Association of Health Plans
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Britta Rekstad for self
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Cameron Duncan for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Catherine Johnston for self

For

(Thu 2/27/2025) Testifying before S Business & Commerce as Ezequiel Silva for self (with Texas Medical Association)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Testifying before S Business & Commerce as Katherine McLane for self (with Texas Coalition for Patients)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Ben Wright for Texas Medical Association
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Ben Wright for Texas Medical Association
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Christine Busse for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Clayton Travis for Texas Pediatric Society
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Clayton Travis for Texas Pediatric Society
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Daniel Gonzalez for Texas Academy of Family Physicians
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Danielle Lobsinger Bush for Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as David Mintz for Texas Academy of General Dentistry
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as David Reynolds for Texas Chapter American College of Physicians
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as David Reynolds for Texas Chapter American College of Physicians
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Desiree Ingram for Texas Women's Healthcare Coalition (TWHC)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Eric Woomer for Texas Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Society
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Eric Woomer for Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Eric Woomer for Texas Dermatological Society
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Evan Autry for St. Luke's Healthcare System
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Heather Vasek for DHR Health
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Jessica Schleifer for Teaching Hospitals of Texas
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Kelsey Bernstein for Texas Council of Community Centers
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Lauren Fleming for Texas Coalition For Patients
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Lyssette Galvan for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Mark Bordas for Patient Choice Coalition
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Maureen Milligan for Teaching Hospitals of Texas
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as McCann Turner for Texas Health Resources (THR)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Michael Grimes for Texas College of Emergency Physicians
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Michael Grimes for Texas Radiological Society
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Michael Grimes for Texas Society of Pathologists
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Rachael Reed for self (with Texas Ophthalmological Association)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Reed Clay for Texas Health Resources (THR)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Richard Evans for Texas Society of Anesthesiologists (TSA)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Sara Allen for Texas college of emergency physicians
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Sara Allen for Texas Radiological Society
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Sara Allen for Texas Society of Pathologists
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Stacy Wilson for Children's Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT)
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Stacy Wilson for Children's Hospital Association of Texas (CHAT)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Steve Wohleb for Texas Hospital Association
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as T. Patterson for City of Fort Worth
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Travis McCormick for Make Texans Healthy Again

(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Amanda Dillon for Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
(Thu 2/27/2025) Registering before S Business & Commerce as Debra Diaz-Lara for Texas Department of Insurance
(Wed 4/23/2025) Registering before H Insurance as Rachel Bowden for Texas Department of Insurance