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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
SB672

Regular Session

Relating to a requirement that certain hospitals submit a summary of parts of their emergency operations plans to the Health and Human Services Commission.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

SB672: Government Affairs Overview

Effective September 1, 2025, SB672 mandates that all Chapter 241 licensed hospitals with emergency departments submit specific summaries of their Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Facilities face a hard deadline of December 1, 2025, to report protocols specifically regarding patient diversions caused by cyber attacks or electrical power outages.

Sen. Bryan Hughes·Senate Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Business Impact

Who SB672 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: moderate

Notable regulatory updates (effective 2025-09-01). Consider how these changes may affect your operations.

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Healthcare

Affected business types:

  • Hospitals
  • Healthcare systems
  • Medical practices
  • Health insurance providers
View all healthcare legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Transfer Agreements: Review agreements with partner facilities to ensure they are active and capable of accepting the diverted patient volume described in your summary.
  • 2Vendor SLAs: Verify that Service Level Agreements with IT security vendors and backup generator providers support the recovery timelines and reliance claims asserted in your state filing.
  • 3Role Assignment: No new hiring is required, but the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator must be explicitly tasked with creating the "Section 311.025 Summary" separate from the main EOP.
  • 4Board Awareness: Ensure the governing body or administrator understands that approving a change to the EOP now triggers a 30-day state reporting clock.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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SB672
Moderate
Relating to a requirement that certain hospitals submit a summary of parts of their emergency operations plans to the Health and Human Services Commis...
Moderate Compliance Urgency
Requires near-term attention
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
HHSC
Primary Author: Sen. Bryan Hughes
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: December 1, 2025 (Initial Submission). Subsequent updates must be filed within 30 days of any internal EOP modification.
  • Agency Rulemaking: While the statute does not mandate a formal rulemaking period, HHSC must establish the specific submission mechanism (e.g., secure portal or dedicated email) prior to the December deadline. Expect agency guidance between September and November 2025.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Immediate: Direct Emergency Preparedness staff to isolate "Cyber Attack" and "Power Outage" diversion protocols from the master EOP.
  • By October 1, 2025: Draft the "Section 311.025 Summary" and submit it to Legal/Risk Management to ensure it aligns with Cyber Liability Insurance requirements.
  • By November 15, 2025: Finalize the summary document and identify the HHSC submission channel.
  • Ongoing: Update internal policy management software to flag EOP changes for immediate regulatory review.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Transfer Agreements: Review agreements with partner facilities to ensure they are active and capable of accepting the diverted patient volume described in your summary.
  • Vendor SLAs: Verify that Service Level Agreements with IT security vendors and backup generator providers support the recovery timelines and reliance claims asserted in your state filing.

Hiring/Training

  • Role Assignment: No new hiring is required, but the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator must be explicitly tasked with creating the "Section 311.025 Summary" separate from the main EOP.
  • Board Awareness: Ensure the governing body or administrator understands that approving a change to the EOP now triggers a 30-day state reporting clock.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • The "Summary" Document: Create a standalone document strictly for this requirement. Do not submit the full EOP.
  • Confidentiality Marking: Mark every page of the submission "CONFIDENTIAL – EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE PER HEALTH & SAFETY CODE SEC. 311.025(e)."
  • Compliance Log: Maintain a log tracking: (1) Date of internal EOP change approval, (2) Date of summary submission to HHSC, and (3) Proof of receipt.

Fees & Costs

  • Budget Impact: Low. There are no statutory filing fees. Costs are limited to internal administrative time and legal review.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Definition of "Summary": The statute does not define the required level of detail. Facilities must balance providing enough information to demonstrate a functional plan (e.g., decision hierarchy, communication protocols) without exposing granular security vulnerabilities (e.g., specific IP addresses, server locations).
  • Submission Mechanism: The law does not specify *how* to submit. Do not mail this to the general HHSC correspondence address. Wait for the agency to designate a specific portal or compliance desk to ensure the document is routed correctly and treated as confidential.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Dec 19, 2024
Passed Senate
May 9, 2025
Passed House
May 28, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsHealthHealth--emergency Services & PersonnelHospitalsHealth & Human Services CommissionDisaster Preparedness & Relief
03

Senate Authors

Sen. Bryan HughesRepublican · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. Aicha DavisDemocrat · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Sen. Bryan Hughes

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Related by Topic

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB672

Q

What does Texas SB672 do?

Effective September 1, 2025, SB672 mandates that all Chapter 241 licensed hospitals with emergency departments submit specific summaries of their Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Facilities face a hard deadline of December 1, 2025, to report protocols specifically regarding patient diversions caused by cyber attacks or electrical power outages.

Q

Who authored SB672?

SB672 was authored by Texas Senator Bryan Hughes during the Regular Session.

Q

When was SB672 signed into law?

SB672 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce SB672?

SB672 is enforced by Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

Q

How significant are the changes in SB672?

The regulatory priority for SB672 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of SB672?

The cost impact of SB672 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does SB672 address?

SB672 addresses topics including health, health--emergency services & personnel, hospitals, health & human services commission and disaster preparedness & relief.

Q

What are the key dates for SB672?

Key dates for SB672: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

Which Texas businesses are affected by SB672?

SB672 primarily affects healthcare providers and medical facilities. These businesses should review the legislation with their legal and compliance teams to understand potential impacts.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026