Senator César J. Blanco Hosts Press Conference to Announce Major Healthcare Legislation to Address Texas’ Healthcare Access & Workforce Crisis

Press Release Contact: Taylor Sanchez
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Taylor.sanchez@senate.texas.gov
February 5, 2024
Senator César J. Blanco Hosts Press Conference to Announce Major Healthcare
Legislation to Address Texas’ Healthcare Access & Workforce Crisis
Austin, Texas - Today, Senator César Blanco hosted a press conference to announce the reintroduction of
Senate Bill 9-1-1, the Healthcare Expanded and Accessed Locally for Texans Act (HEAL Texans Act), a
bipartisan effort to expand access to primary care across Texas, particularly in rural and underserved
communities. SB 9-1-1 is joint-authored by Senate Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee Vice-Chair
Charles Perry (Lubbock), Senator Angela Paxton (McKinney), Senator Mayes Middleton (Galveston), and
Senator Bob Hall (Edgewood).
“Like dialing 9-1-1, Senate Bill 9-1-1 represents an emergency,” said Senator César J. Blanco. “This bill will
tear down the unnecessary barriers that keep Texans from getting care. It will allow nurse practitioners to do
what they are already trained, licensed and prepared to do – without a bureaucratic permission slip. The lack of
access to quality, affordable healthcare is a crisis and the HEAL Texans Act is the solution.”
Senate Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee Vice-Chair Charles Perry echoed the urgency for
action. “Texas is too big, too diverse, and too spread out to maintain a viable healthcare access system without
[SB 9-1-1],” said Senator Perry. “This bill fills the need.”
Suzi Clary, a breast cancer survivor, shared how a persistent Nurse Practitioner at her rural clinic ensured she
received a mammogram, leading to a life-saving diagnosis. “It has meant the world to me to get the care I need,
when I need it, at our local rural health clinic. But there are so many other towns in Texas that do not have
access to Nurse Practitioners, or any providers at all for that matter,” said Clary. “How many women are
hearing the news for the first time in the ER, when it’s too late? Texas women need access to care, and they
cannot afford to wait.”
Dr. Phillip Day, a physician and veteran who served 20 years in the U.S. Army, emphasized the need to
remove barriers preventing Nurse Practitioners from practicing to the full extent of their training. “During my
20-plus years in the military, my family and I received excellent medical care from a variety of licensed
healthcare practitioners—some of them Nurse Practitioners. I noticed no difference in the quality of care,” said
Dr. Day. “The Department of Defense recognized the valuable contributions of Nurse Practitioners decades ago.
The VA followed suit in 2016. Why not Texas, now?”
Tina Tran, AARP Texas State Director, underscored the importance of expanding healthcare access,
particularly for Texas’ growing aging population. “Texans need access to quality healthcare, and that need is
acute for the growing number of older Texans and family members who care for them,” said Tran. “An aging
and growing population puts a strain on our healthcare system, and the supply of primary care providers is not
keeping pace. The HEAL Texans Act will allow APRNs to provide the care they are trained to offer. This
solution (SB 9-1-1) is safe and sensible.”
An archived video of the press conference can be found here: https://www.senate.texas.gov/av-archive.php.
For inquiries or requests, please contact Taylor Sanchez at Taylor.Sanchez@senate.texas.gov.