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Hospital bollard bill, sparked by KXAN, gets House hearing
- May 20, 2025
- 2 min read
by: Matt Grant
Project Summary:
This story is part of KXAN’s “Preventing Disaster” investigation, which initially published on May 15, 2024. The project follows a fatal car crash into an Austin hospital’s emergency room earlier that year. Our team took a broader look at safety concerns with that crash and hundreds of others across the nation – including whether medical sites had security barriers – known as bollards – at their entrances. Experts say those could stop crashes from happening.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A bill sparked by a series of KXAN investigations into hospital safety following a deadly emergency room crash at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center last year is one step closer to becoming law.
The House Public Health Committee heard testimony Monday on Senate Bill 660, which would require crash-rated safety bollards at Texas hospital ER entrances. Rep. Toni Rose, D-Dallas, who authored the House version of the bill, introduced a new change Monday morning that might help the bill’s chances, but safety advocates worry could still leave some hospitals vulnerable. Under the new compromise — aimed at addressing concerns from the Texas Hospital Association — the bill would only apply to hospitals located in an area with a population of 1.2 million or more.
That would limit the measure to Travis, Bexar, Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant counties, according to recent population data.
“Despite their life-saving potential,” Rose said, “a KXAN investigation found many Central Texas hospitals lack adequate bollard protection.”
To compromise during the legislative process, a representative for Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who introduced the bill, said it might have to be adjusted again to only require bollards for new hospital construction and remodels.
‘Unfunded mandate’
For months, the proposal to mandate the vertical security barriers had placed a wedge between the state’s nurses, who back the bill, and the lobbyist arm representing the hospitals paying them.
“The safety of nurses and hospital staff should be the highest priority of any health care organization,” the Texas Nurses Association previously told KXAN. “Any and all protection should be considered to ensure our health care providers can come to work with confidence that they are protected and working in a safe environment.”
The organization submitted written testimony in March in support of the bill.
“If a point of entry to the facility is vulnerable to harm by a motor vehicle, facilities should consider whether the installation of bollards is necessary, regardless of whether the point of entry is connected to an emergency room,” TNA General Counsel Jack Frazee wrote.
While the bill has attracted bipartisan support, it has also found strong opposition from the Texas Hospital Association, which called the bill an “unfunded mandate” and an “unreasonable administrative cost burden.”
Great interview, but if I'm being honest felt more like 'why I'm still a Calvinist' than 'Christian'. I respect that Kristen's faith tradition is important to her, and she can obviously share to the level she feels comfortable with and no more, but this was a very intellectual conversation. I'd have appreciated hearing more about Kristen's personal faith in Jesus Himself and why that is not shaken despite the attacks she's endured. orologi da parete bellissimi
It's encouraging to see that the KXAN investigation into hospital safety is prompting legislative action like SB 660. The need for bollards at hospital ER entrances is clear, given the potential for devastating accidents. For anyone looking to improve the clarity of their own important communications, I found AI Cleaner Text to be incredibly useful for tidying up text.
I read the Hospital bollard bill post, and it explains that after a deadly crash into an Austin ER, lawmakers are holding a House hearing on a bill requiring crash‑rated bollards at emergency entrances to protect staff and patients. I once stayed up late finishing a draft and used Fast research proposal editing support, and that quick help fixed mistakes I had missed. It made me realize timely help can make big tasks much easier.
This is such an important issue wordle today answer
This is such an important issue, and it's great to see KXAN's "Preventing Disaster" investigation driving real legislative action. The notion that such a simple, yet effective, safety measure like crash-rated bollards could prevent tragic incidents at hospital ERs is compelling. It's a shame that cost concerns are creating hurdles, especially when staff safety is at stake. Perhaps there's a way to present data on incidents more visually to sway opinions; for combining visual evidence, I often use JPG to PDF Merge. Hopefully, a full and effective bill can still pass.