# Texas SB 1236: Relating to the relationship between pharmacists or pharmacies and health benefit plan issuers or pharmacy benefit managers. Texas SB 1236, Relating to the relationship between pharmacists or pharmacies and health benefit plan issuers or pharmacy benefit managers., is a 89th Legislature Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Cole Hefner, Bryan Hughes (Republican), Jared Patterson; status signed, last action 2025-05-27 (Effective on 9/1/25) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB1236-89R - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Texas SB 1236 - State: Texas - Session: 89th Legislature Regular Session - Title: Relating to the relationship between pharmacists or pharmacies and health benefit plan issuers or pharmacy benefit managers. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-12 - Last action: 2025-05-27, Effective on 9/1/25 - Sponsors: Cole Hefner, Bryan Hughes (Republican), Jared Patterson - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Electronic Information Systems, Health Care Providers, Insurance--Health & Accident, PHARMACIES & PHARMACISTS, PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS, INSURANCE, COMMISSIONER OF - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (298 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clearer contracts before pharmacies pay fees: benefit, low. For contracts made or renewed beginning September 1, 2025, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers must provide pharmacies secure online access to contracts, addenda, and provider manuals, including updates. Contracts must include referenced documents as part of the contract or an attachment, and st… - Limits on health plan group numbers: benefit, low. The group-number rule applies to covered Texas health plans delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed beginning January 1, 2026. A covered plan's identification-card group number can be assigned only to people enrolled in plans covered by this law. Plans already in force remain under prior law unt… - Pharmacies choose which networks to join: benefit, low. For contracts made or renewed beginning September 1, 2025, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers cannot force pharmacies or pharmacists to join a network. They cannot make joining one network depend on joining another. They also cannot penalize pharmacies or pharmacists for refusing to join. These… - Pharmacies gain control over contract changes: benefit, low. For contracts made or renewed beginning September 1, 2025, adverse material changes during the contract term require mutual agreement and the pharmacy's written approval. They cannot start before the 120th day after approval. A clear notice must let pharmacies refuse without changing existing terms… - Stronger payment protections for Texas pharmacies: benefit, low. For contracts made or renewed beginning September 1, 2025, Texas law generally bars insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from reducing claims already approved for payment. They can recover drug costs and dispensing fees for fraud, duplicate payments, or substantive errors—not clerical or recordke… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Cole Hefner, House - Sponsor: Bryan Hughes (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Jared Patterson, House - Cosponsor: César Blanco (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kevin Sparks (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-05-13 | House | Record vote | pass | 140 | 0 | | | 2025-05-12 | House | Record vote | pass | 142 | 0 | | | 2025-04-24 | Senate | Record vote | pass | | | | | 2025-04-24 | Senate | Record vote | pass | | | | | | House | Committee vote: Insurance | pass | 7 | 0 | | | | Senate | Committee vote: Health & Human Services | pass | 9 | 0 | | ## Actions (49) - 2025-05-27: Effective on 9/1/25 (House) - 2025-05-27: Signed by the Governor (House) - 2025-05-15: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2025-05-15: Signed in the House (House) - 2025-05-15: Signed in the Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-14: Reported enrolled (Senate) - 2025-05-14: House passage reported (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal (House) - 2025-05-13: Record vote (RV#2322) (House) - 2025-05-13: Passed (House) - 2025-05-13: Read 3rd time (House) - 2025-05-12: Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal (House) - 2025-05-12: Record vote (RV#2168) (House) - 2025-05-12: Passed to 3rd reading (House) - 2025-05-12: Read 2nd time (House) - 2025-05-12: Laid out in lieu of companion (CSHB 3317) (House) - 2025-05-08: Committee report sent to Calendars (House) - 2025-05-07: Committee report distributed (House) - 2025-05-07: Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator (House) - 2025-05-07: Reported favorably w/o amendment(s) (House) - 2025-05-07: Considered in public hearing (House) - 2025-04-28: Referred to Insurance (House) - 2025-04-28: Read first time (House) - 2025-04-25: Received from the Senate (House) - 2025-04-24: Reported engrossed (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Record vote (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Passed (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Record vote (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Three day rule suspended (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Vote recorded in Journal (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Laid before the Senate (Senate) - 2025-04-24: Placed on local & uncontested calendar (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Co-author authorized (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Committee report printed and distributed (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Recommended for local & uncontested calendar (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Reported favorably as substituted (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Vote taken in committee (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Considered in public hearing (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Co-author authorized (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Left pending in committee (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Testimony taken in committee (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Considered in public hearing (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Scheduled for public hearing on . . . (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Referred to Health & Human Services (Senate) - 2025-02-28: Read first time (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Filed (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Received by the Secretary of the Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236E.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236E.PDF) - Enrolled: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236F.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236F.PDF) - House Committee Report: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236H.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236H.PDF) - Introduced: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236I.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236I.PDF) - Senate Committee Report: [HTML](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236S.HTM), [PDF](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236S.PDF) ## Related bills - SB 2111: Relating to legal representation of indigent persons in this state and to proceedings before a magistrate including the appointment of counsel for an indigent… (vetoed) - SB 1838: Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certain attorneys ad litem in suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by… (vetoed) - SB 3: Relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; req… (vetoed) - SB 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court… (vetoed) - SB 646: Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans. (signed) - HB 4325: Relating to civil liability for prohibited barratry. (became law) ## Sources - [Engrossed (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236E.HTM) - [Engrossed (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236E.PDF) - [Enrolled (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236F.HTM) - [Enrolled (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236F.PDF) - [House Committee Report (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236H.HTM) - [House Committee Report (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236H.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236I.HTM) - [Introduced (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236I.PDF) - [Senate Committee Report (HTML)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB01236S.HTM) - [Senate Committee Report (PDF)](http://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/SB01236S.PDF) ## Related - [SB 2111: Relating to legal representation of indigent persons in this state and to proce…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB2111-89R) - [SB 1838: Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certa…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB1838-89R) - [SB 3: Relating to the regulation of products derived from hemp, including consumable…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB3-89R) - [SB 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures re…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB2878-89R) - [SB 646: Relating to repayment of certain mental health professional education loans.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB646-89R) - [HB 4325: Relating to civil liability for prohibited barratry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-HB4325-89R) - [Texas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/texas/bills) - [Texas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/texas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TX-SB1236-89R (as of 2026-10-19).