Relating to the establishment of the Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council and the abolition of the statewide health coordinating council and the nursing advisory committee of that council.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Carol Alvarado and 7 co-sponsors

Texas bill consolidates health workforce planning by creating new coordinating council while eliminating separate statewide health and nursing advisory committees.

Placed on General State Calendar

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Legislative bill overview

SB 2891 creates a new Health Professions Workforce Coordinating Council in Texas while eliminating the existing Statewide Health Coordinating Council and its Nursing Advisory Committee. The bill consolidates health workforce planning functions into a single coordinating body with potentially broader scope or different governance structure than the bodies it replaces.

Why is this important

Health workforce coordination affects the supply, distribution, and quality of healthcare professionals available to Texans, particularly in underserved rural and urban areas. The restructuring could improve efficiency in planning for nursing, physician, and other healthcare professional shortages, or conversely could lose specialized focus if the new council lacks adequate attention to nursing-specific issues.

Potential points of contention

Loss of specialized nursing focus: The abolition of the dedicated Nursing Advisory Committee may reduce nursing profession's direct voice in workforce planning, given nursing represents the largest healthcare workforce segment

Unclear council composition and authority: The bill's text (not provided in full) likely specifies new council membership and powers; stakeholders may dispute whether representation is adequate for diverse healthcare professions

Transition and coordination gaps: Eliminating existing councils during transition could create delays in addressing critical workforce shortages if the new council isn't immediately operational