- Postpartum care extension
- SNAP incentive funding
- SNAP access
- Tobacco control finding
- Tobacco taxation
- CPR/AED training in schools
- Smoke-free air
- Preemption
POSTPARTUM CARE EXTENSION 
NUTRITION INCENTIVE
Ensuring funding to expand programs like Double Up Food Bucks to encourage healthy eating
House Bill 1
$6 MILLION IN 2024-25 BUDGET
House Author: Representative Angelia Orr (R-Itasca)
Senate Sponsor: Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
- Expansion of programs that offer SNAP recipients dollar-for-dollar incentives to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables
$6 million in grants will support expansion of programs like Double Up Food Bucks that offer SNAP recipients dollar-for-dollar incentives to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables. While these programs exist in certain urban areas, largely in farmers markets, increased funding will allow further expansion into more types of retailers and regions of Texas. Participating organizations must have demonstrated experience designing and implementing successful nutrition incentive programs that connect low-income consumers and agricultural producers, offer administrative and technological support to retailer participants to support uptake and participation in the program, and operate in at least two counties.
SNAP ACCESS/VEHICLE ASSET TEST MODERNIZATION
Extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months after childbirth
House Bill 1287
SIGNED
House Author: Representative Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City)
Senate Sponsor: Senator Cesar Blanco (D-El Paso)
- One-time inflationary update to the maximum value of a vehicle a household can own before they are disqualified from receiving food stamps.
This bill will update the “Vehicle Asset Test,” which sets a limit on the value of vehicles a household may own and still quality for SNAP benefits. This limit is currently $15,000 for a first car and $4,650 for a second car and has not been updated since 2001. In recent years, high inflation in the used car market has meant that thousands who used to qualify for SNAP no longer do. This bill updates both figures to 2023 inflation levels with the first vehicle valued at $22,500 and any additional vehicles valued at $8,700.
E-CIGARETTE MARKETING TO YOUTH
Protecting children from electronic cigarette advertising
House Bill 4758
SIGNED
House Author: Representative Shawn Thierry (D-Houston)
Senate Sponsor: Senator Drew Springer (R-Muenster)
- Criminal offense if a person or company markets using cartoons, imitates packaging familiar to youth, mimics candy or juice containers or utilizes the image of a celebrity
E-cigarette manufacturers often package harmful products to appear nearly identical to popular candy, flavored juice boxes, and other edible treats. The similarity in packaging of e-cigarette products to children’s snacks is a direct appeal from manufacturers to children, which entices them to consume these dangerous nicotine products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 2011 to 2021, vaping rates among middle and high school students increased from 1.5 percent to nearly 30 percent. This bill creates a Class B misdemeanor offense for marketing, advertising, selling, or causing to be sold an e-cigarette product in certain containers that are designed to appeal to minors, such as those depicting cartoon-like characters, those including an image of a celebrity, or those including images of food like candy or juice. In 2022, Texas announced a $43 million settlement with Juul labs for the company’s deceptive marketing and sales practices.