Biography
When Denise Rose came to Jackson Walker, her primary experience was in the healthcare arena; however, in the time she has been at the Firm, she has expanded her practice across the business spectrum. Denise continues to work successfully for a broad array of clients on their legislative and regulatory issues, whether those issues are environmental, healthcare, local government, licensing, or procurement focused. She is adept at navigating the nuanced and complicated Texas budget process and has successfully helped clients achieve their goals.
Denise has been working in and around the Texas Capitol for nearly two decades, and her strength is a deep knowledge of the legislative process and the people involved. She has cultivated relationships throughout the Texas Capitol and in state agencies. Denise provides effective strategic counsel to clients on a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to Medicaid and hospital finance, special utility districts, occupational licensing, health care quality, and agency rulemaking processes and requests for proposals. Denise is adept in the legislative drafting process. She represents non-profit organizations, nationally ranked hospitals, and Fortune 500 companies at the Capitol.
Prior to joining Jackson Walker, Denise served as Assistant Vice President for Legislative Affairs at the Texas A&M Health Science Center, where her work was primarily focused on the Health Science Center’s budget needs for the state’s healthcare workforce. Prior to the A&M Health Science Center, Denise served as the Senior Director of Government Relations at the Texas Hospital Association. She has years of experience tracking and analyzing legislation specific to hospitals and health-related institutions, and she has also drafted legislation, amendments, and expert witness testimony on various topics, as well as legislative appropriations requests and budget riders.
Previously, Denise served as the Government Relations Liaison for Texas Children’s Hospital and as a policy analyst at the Sunset Advisory Commission. She began her career at the Capitol as a Health Law Legislative Fellow for State Representative Vicki Truitt.
Education
B.S., University of Oklahoma
J.D., University of Houston Law Center
Bar Admissions
Texas
Areas of Focus
- Health insurance, including commercial and Texas Medicaid Managed Care
- State Budget Issues, including Hospital Finance, Medicaid and CHIP, and Higher Education Funding
- Healthcare Quality Initiatives
- Healthcare Workforce Issues
- Public Health Policy
- Sunset Commission Reviews
- Special Utility Districts
- Environmental quality issues
- Legislative drafting
Career Highlights
- Helped create the structure and wrote subsequent legislation that modernized the method by which Texas’ graduate medical education programs are funded.
- Assisted hospital client in passage of legislation creating a Certificate of Public Advantage and helped client successfully navigate this process at the state level.
- Assisted multiple hospital systems in recouping over $3 million in Medicaid payments.
- Successfully assisted a special utility district in passing legislation allowing them to dissolve.
- Helped pass legislation creating local provider participation funds, which give hospitals the ability to access millions of dollars in additional federal funding for indigent healthcare.
- Helped secure the largest funding increase in history for Family Violence program services
- Succeeded in obtaining the first significant rate increase for Meals on Wheels providers since 1993
- Helped pass legislation requiring all Texas Medicaid managed care plans to be accredited
- Assisted in the passage of legislation creating an independent medical review process for Texas Medicaid managed care denials and appeals
- Secured funding creating the Texas Mobile STEM lab grant program and successfully advocated for growth of the program to serve additional school districts
- Helped pass legislation allowing Texas dental hygienist to administer local anesthesia
- Assisted in securing funding eliminating the copay for reduced price breakfasts for qualified Texas students
- Supporter of Women Award, Pink Granite Foundation, 2021
- Top Hired Gun, Capitol Inside Lobby Power Rankings, 2021 and 2023
- Rising Star, Capitol Inside Lobby Power Rankings, 2019
Speaking Engagements
- Participated in a “Women in Advocacy” panel at the Denton County Leadership Forum hosted by Texas Association of Broadcasters (March 2023)
- “Economic Development in 2020 and Beyond,” Jackson Walker, the Valued Advisor Fund, the Texas Mezzanine Fund, and CHHS webinar (July 15, 2020)
- “Denise Rose,” Pink Granite podcast interview with Nelda Hunter (June 4, 2020)
- “What Phase 1 of Governor Abbott’s Plan to Reopen Texas Means for Texas Businesses,” Jackson Walker Fast Takes Podcast (May 1, 2020)
- Panelist, “Capitol Insiders Discuss State Policy,” Texas State Reform Health Policy Conference (2018)
In the News
- “Law Firm Lobby Shops Offer Clients One-Stop Shopping,” The Texas Lawbook (January 10, 2023)
- “Texas Legislation To Watch In Early 2023,” Law360 (January 2, 2023)
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow, Class of 2020
- Leadership Texas, Class of 2020
- Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas
- Board of Directors
- Women of Courage Member
- Travis County Women Lawyer’s Association
- Texans Care For Children
- Board Member
- Past Treasurer
- GirlForward Texas Chapter, Founding Board Member, 2015-2016
- Wine and Food Foundation of Texas, Membership Committee
- Dress for Success Austin, Advisory Committee
- Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Volunteer
- GENAustin, Volunteer
- Texas Association of Business’ State PAC (BACPAC), Board Member, 2018
April 24, 2023
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – April 2023
View Jackson Walker’s April 2023 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
February 6, 2023
Spotlight‘Capitol Inside’ Recognizes Denise Rose and Jackson Walker’s Legislative Team in the 2023 “Texas Lobby Power Rankings”
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the legislative team’s inclusion in the 2023 “Texas Lobby Power Rankings” from Capitol Inside, a recognized source for news and information on Texas politics and government. In addition, Denise Rose was ranked among the “Hired Guns” list of the top lobbyists in the state.
January 10, 2023
MentionsLaw Firm Lobby Shops Offer Clients One-Stop Shopping: Denise Rose, “The Budget Expert” | The Texas Lawbook (Subscription Required)
In the nearly two decades that Denise Rose has worked in and around the Capitol, she has learned the importance of being a keen observer of both people and numbers.
By Janet Elliott, The Texas Lawbook
January 3, 2023
MentionsTexas Legislation to Watch in Early 2023: Open Records Issues and Nursing Shortage
In a Law360 article discussing key issues that Texas lawmakers may address in 2023, Jackson Walker partners Stacy Allen and Denise Rose shared insight on efforts to restrict public records access and the workforce shortage in the hospital industry.
October 5, 2021
NewslettersJW Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter – October 2021
View Jackson Walker’s October 2021 Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter, Perspectives.
September 27, 2021
Attorney NewsDenise Rose Presented With First-Ever Pink Granite Supporter of Women Award
Jackson Walker proudly congratulates Denise Rose on receiving the first-ever Pink Granite Supporter of Women Award in honor of her work at the Texas Capitol and her service to the community.
August 9, 2021
MentionsHow Texas Is Protecting Healthcare Workers Fighting COVID-19 | D Magazine
With the Pandemic Liability Protection Act in effect, Denise Rose spoke with D Magazine about the protections afforded to physicians and other health care workers treating patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
July 8, 2021
InsightsTexas Legislative Update on Governor Abbott’s Special Session Agenda
Texas legislators have convened for a special session to address the 11 agenda items recently issued by Governor Abbott. This article summarizes the items up for discussion during the session, including two emergency items on bail reform and election integrity that did not reach the governor’s desk during the regular session.
June 28, 2021
PodcastsOverview of 87th Texas Legislature: Key Bills, the State Budget, and Jackson Walker’s Role
While many thought the 87th Texas Legislature would be limited in scope to COVID-related needs, the end results were much more expansive. Government Relations & Public Policy attorneys Denise Rose and Kate Goodrich cover some of the key bills that passed and failed, the state budget, and the role Jackson Walker’s Legislative team played during the recent legislative session.
February 25, 2021
Spotlight‘Capitol Inside’ Recognizes Denise Rose and Jackson Walker’s Legislative Team in the 2021 “Texas Lobby Power Rankings”
Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the legislative team’s inclusion in the 2021 “Texas Lobby Power Rankings” from Capitol Inside. In addition, Austin partner Denise Rose was elevated to the list of “Hired Guns,” ranking No. 56 among the top lobbyists in the state.