Bill > HB91

This bill, known as the Antelmo Ramirez Heat Safety Act, establishes comprehensive workplace heat illness prevention standards for all employers in Texas, regardless of size or type of employment. The bill creates a Heat Illness Prevention Advisory Board composed of seven members, including heat safety experts, construction workers, an employer representative, a nonprofit worker safety representative, and a labor union representative. The board will develop recommended heat illness prevention standards for the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), which must then adopt these standards by June 1, 2026. These standards will include requirements for drinking water, access to shade or climate-controlled environments, rest periods, emergency response procedures, heat acclimatization, and mandatory employee and supervisor training. Employers must post multilingual notices outlining these standards and employees' rights, and provide training in a language employees understand. The bill also protects workers from retaliation if they report heat-related illnesses or violations, with the TWC empowered to assess administrative penalties of at least $1,000 for each violation, with each day of continued violation considered a separate offense. Employers will not be required to comply with these new regulations until June 1, 2026, giving them time to prepare and implement the necessary protections.