Bill Text: TX SB641 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to a health literacy plan developed by the statewide health coordinating council and the inclusion of health literacy in the state health plan.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-18 - Filed [SB641 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SB641-Introduced.html

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89R1029 SRA-F
By: Johnson S.B. No. 641

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a health literacy plan developed by the statewide
health coordinating council and the inclusion of health literacy in
the state health plan.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 104.002, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:
(6) "Health literacy" means the degree to which an
individual has the capacity to find, understand, and use health
information and services to inform health-related decisions and
actions.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 104.0156 to read as follows:
Sec. 104.0156. HEALTH LITERACY PLAN. (a) The statewide
health coordinating council shall develop a long-range plan for
improving health literacy in this state. The council shall update
the plan at least once every two years.
(b) In developing the long-range plan, the statewide health
coordinating council shall study the economic impact of low health
literacy on state health programs and health insurance coverage for
state residents. The council shall:
(1) identify primary risk factors contributing to low
health literacy;
(2) examine methods for health care practitioners,
health care facilities, and other persons to address the health
literacy of patients and other health care consumers;
(3) examine the effectiveness of using quality
measures in state health programs to improve health literacy;
(4) identify strategies for expanding the use of plain
language instructions for patients; and
(5) examine the impact of improved health literacy on
enhancing patient safety, reducing preventable events, and
increasing medication adherence to attain greater
cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of
health care.
(c) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
the statewide health coordinating council shall submit the
long-range plan developed or updated under this section to the
governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives, and each member of the legislature.
SECTION 3. Sections 104.022(e) and (f), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(e) The state health plan shall be developed and used in
accordance with applicable state and federal law. The plan must
identify:
(1) major statewide health concerns, including the
prevalence of low health literacy among health care consumers;
(2) the availability and use of current health
resources of the state, including resources associated with
information technology and state-supported institutions of higher
education; and
(3) future health service, information technology,
and facility needs of the state.
(f) The state health plan must:
(1) propose strategies for:
(A) correcting [the correction of] major
deficiencies in the service delivery system;
(B) improving health literacy to attain greater
cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of
health care;
(C) [(2) propose strategies for] incorporating
information technology in the service delivery system; and
(D) [(3) propose strategies for] involving
state-supported institutions of higher education in providing
health services and for coordinating those efforts with health and
human services agencies in order to close gaps in services; and
(2) [(4)] provide direction for the state's
legislative and executive decision-making processes to implement
the strategies proposed by the plan.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.