Rep. Helen Kerwin introduced HB 2991, a bill on Minors, to the Texas House on Tuesday, Feb. 18 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to the donation of blood by persons younger than 18 years of age; authorizing a civil penalty’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill addresses the donation of blood by individuals under 18, stipulating that 17-year-olds may donate blood or blood components if they have written informed consent from a parent, managing conservator, or legal guardian. The executive commissioner is tasked with prescribing the consent form, which must outline risks and health effects specific to minors. Individuals under 18 may donate only once within 24 hours, no more than twice annually, and only if their hemoglobin level is at least 13 grams per deciliter. They cannot be compensated for donations, and their donations cannot be sold for profit or to entities outside the U.S. The executive commissioner must establish rules for these provisions, with the act effective Sept. 1, 2025.
Helen Kerwin, a member of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism, proposed another nine bills during the 89(R) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Public Education.
Helen Kerwin is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 58th House district. She replaced previous state representative DeWayne Burns in 2025.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Author | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2743 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to the dedication of certain surplus state revenue for ad valorem tax relief |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2390 | 02/04/2025 | Relating to agreements between municipalities and counties and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2389 | 02/04/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by and contracts or other agreements with certain aliens or foreign entities |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2388 | 02/04/2025 | Relating to the definition of a governmental body for the purposes of the public information law |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2220 | 01/29/2025 | Relating to the repeal of or limitations on certain state and local taxes, including school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes, the enactment of state and local value added taxes, and related school finance reform; imposing taxes |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2065 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to the overnight parking of a commercial motor vehicle in or near certain residential subdivisions |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 2014 | 01/22/2025 | Relating to the board of directors of Somervell County Hospital District |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 1952 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to the composition of county appraisal district boards of directors |
| 89(R) | Helen Kerwin | HB 1674 | 12/19/2024 | Relating to the production, sale, and use of certain agricultural products containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); creating a criminal offense |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1590 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to the establishment of the Texas Leadership Scholars Program |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 4605 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the establishment of the Texas Leadership Scholars Program to serve as a merit-based scholarship and leadership opportunity for high-achieving, emerging leaders with financial need |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 4191 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to changes to certain long-term care facilities’ essential caregiver policies and procedures |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 4192 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to the overnight parking of a commercial motor vehicle in or near certain residential subdivisions |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 3901 | 03/07/2023 | Relating to a cost-of-living adjustment applicable to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 3514 | 03/03/2023 | Relating to the authority of a municipality to annex property in certain water districts |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 3254 | 03/02/2023 | Relating to the purchase of service credit by certain members of the Employees Retirement System of Texas |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2812 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the provision of school safety training to certain employees of a private school who hold a license to carry a handgun |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2827 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the permitting of and performance of annual soil tests for certain concentrated animal feeding operations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2835 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 144 in Hood and Somervell Counties as the Ed Shipman Memorial Highway |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2838 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the exclusion of the operation of certain vehicles from commercial driver’s license requirements |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2851 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to the composition of the board of directors of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority and grant amounts under the young farmer grant program administered by the authority |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2677 | 02/22/2023 | Relating to addressing workplace bullying in school districts |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2683 | 02/22/2023 | Relating to the use of dyed diesel fuel to operate a motor vehicle during and for a limited period following certain disasters |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2684 | 02/22/2023 | Relating to the issuance of oversize or overweight permits for vehicles transporting agricultural commodities during or preceding a disaster |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2334 | 02/15/2023 | Relating to an exemption from the plumbing licensing law for certain work performed on certain private property |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2184 | 02/10/2023 | Relating to appropriations to historical foundations by certain counties |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2185 | 02/10/2023 | Relating to county appropriations to historical foundations or organizations |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2110 | 02/09/2023 | Relating to the authority of a county to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county; creating a criminal offense |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2129 | 02/09/2023 | Relating to a merchant allowing a person suspected of committing or attempting to commit theft to complete a theft education program |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2137 | 02/09/2023 | Relating to the enforcement of commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain municipalities |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 2064 | 02/08/2023 | Relating to the employment of honorably retired peace officers as school district security personnel and the applicability to those officers of certain law governing private security |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1761 | 01/27/2023 | Relating to the period for which a pesticide must be registered |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1765 | 01/27/2023 | Relating to the redaction of certain information from a document posted on the Internet by a county clerk or district clerk on request of a person to whom the information relates or the judicial security division of the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1786 | 01/27/2023 | Relating to the amendment of restrictive covenants of certain residential subdivisions |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1661 | 01/26/2023 | Relating to the age limit for a beginning position in a police department under municipal civil service |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1662 | 01/26/2023 | Relating to certain requirements and procedures regarding the posting of a school district’s employment policy |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 1750 | 01/26/2023 | Relating to the applicability of certain city requirements to agricultural operations |
| 88(R) | DeWayne Burns | HB 579 | 11/14/2022 | Relating to procedures for the alternative assessment or exemption from assessment of certain public school students who receive special education services and alternative accountability plans for certain campuses serving students who receive special education services |
