Bill > HB5242

This bill requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and related agencies to collect more detailed demographic data when individuals apply for public benefits programs, offering more granular options for people to self-identify their race, ethnic origin, and other characteristics. Specifically, the bill mandates that when collecting demographic information, agencies must provide individuals with the option to select from expanded subcategories within broader racial and ethnic groups (such as specific Native American tribes, Asian nationalities, African and Caribbean origins, Hispanic nationalities, Middle Eastern and North African groups, Pacific Islander ethnicities, and European ancestries), with the ability to write in additional identifications. The agencies must also collect additional data points about program recipients, including English proficiency, disability status, health coverage, chronic conditions, access to healthcare, mental health, pregnancy status, and infant mortality. This collected data will be cross-tabulated and published annually on the agency's website in an anonymized, easy-to-read format, with the goal of providing more nuanced understanding of demographic characteristics among public benefits recipients. The bill stipulates that data provision is voluntary, must protect individual privacy, and will be updated periodically to reflect population changes, with implementation set to begin September 1, 2025.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB5242