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Hospital bollard bill, sparked by KXAN, gets House hearing
- Alex Pineda
- 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.”
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.
It's heartening to see KXAN's "Preventing Disaster" investigation not only uncover a critical safety issue but also actively spark legislative action like Senate Bill 660. The debate over bolting up hospital ER entrances with crash-rated bollards, following that tragic Austin crash, clearly highlights the tension between patient and staff safety and the financial pressures hospitals face. While the compromise limiting the scope is a start, one hopes the ultimate goal of comprehensive protection isn't lost. This kind of diligent reporting truly makes a difference. For anyone working with various document formats, I've found Markdown to Doc incredibly useful for converting markdown files seamlessly.
This is fantastic news! It's so vital that KXAN's "Preventing Disaster" investigation has translated into real legislative action with Senate Bill 660. The debate around "unfunded mandates" versus the clear need for safety, especially for our dedicated nurses and hospital staff, is always tough, but the initial compromise focusing on high-population areas is a step in the right direction. Hopefully, the bill will become law and protect more of our essential healthcare facilities. For those working on presentations or signs for these important safety issues, a tool like Converter PNG to SVG could be really useful for creating crisp, scalable visuals.
It's truly encouraging to see KXAN's "Preventing Disaster" investigation sparking real legislative action with Senate Bill 660. The discussion around bollards at hospital ER entrances, especially after the St. David's North Austin Medical Center crash, highlights a critical safety gap that needs addressing. While the compromise regarding population size and new construction is understandable for legislative progress, the core issue of protecting healthcare workers and patients remains paramount. The push for safety, despite the "unfunded mandate" argument, is a testament to the dedication of groups like the Texas Nurses Association. It reminds me how important strong first impressions are, whether in advocating for safety or even choosing the right profile photo. Speaking of which, for anyone wanting to make sure…