By: Thierry, Thompson of Harris, Zerwas, H.B. No. 11
Collier, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to pregnancy-related deaths and maternal morbidity,
including postpartum depression.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Texas Moms Matter
Act.
SECTION 2. Section 34.001(12), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(12) "Pregnancy-related death" means the death of a
woman while pregnant or within one year of delivery or end of
pregnancy, regardless of the duration and site of the pregnancy,
from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its
management, including direct obstetric death or an underlying
aggravating condition causing obstetric death [but not from
accidental or incidental causes].
SECTION 3. Section 34.005, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 34.005. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall:
(1) study, [and] review, and collect data on:
(A) cases of pregnancy-related deaths; [and]
(B) trends, rates, health conditions and
factors, and disparities in pregnancy-related deaths and severe
maternal morbidity;
(C) the most prevalent health conditions and
factors that caused death in African American women as identified
in the task force's biennial report required under Section 34.015;
and
(D) best practices and programs operating in
other states that have reduced rates of pregnancy-related deaths;
(2) compare rates of pregnancy-related deaths based on
the socioeconomic status of the mother and, contingent on available
resources, compare rates of infant mortality based on that status;
(3) determine the feasibility of the task force
studying cases of severe maternal morbidity; and
(4) [(3)] make recommendations to help reduce the
incidence of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal
morbidity in this state.
SECTION 4. Sections 34.007(a) and (b), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The department shall determine a statistically
significant number of cases of pregnancy-related deaths for review.
The department shall either randomly select cases or select all
cases for the task force to review under this subsection to reflect
a cross-section of pregnancy-related deaths in this state.
(b) The department shall statistically analyze aggregate
data of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity in
this state to identify any trends, rates, or disparities.
SECTION 5. Section 34.015(b), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) The report must include the task force's
recommendations under Section 34.005(4) [34.005(3)].
SECTION 6. Chapter 34, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
adding Section 34.0155 to read as follows:
Sec. 34.0155. REPORT ON PREGNANCY-RELATED DEATHS AND
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. The commission shall:
(1) evaluate options for reducing pregnancy-related
deaths, focusing on the most prevalent causes of pregnancy-related
deaths as identified in the task force's biennial report required
under Section 34.015, and for treating postpartum depression in
economically disadvantaged women; and
(2) submit a written report summarizing the
commission's and department's efforts to accomplish the tasks
described by Subdivision (1) to the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the
Legislative Budget Board, and the appropriate standing committees
of the legislature not later than December 1 of each even-numbered
year.
SECTION 7. Section 34.018, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 34.018. SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject to
Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued
in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force is
abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2023 [2019].
SECTION 8. Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:
(a-2) In prescribing the form and contents of death
certificates, the department shall require each death certificate
to indicate whether a female decedent was pregnant at the time of
death or was pregnant at any time in the year preceding the
decedent's death, if known
.
SECTION 9. (a) Not later than March 1, 2018, the Department
of State Health Services shall revise and make available the forms
required by Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, as amended by
this Act.
(b) Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, as amended by
this Act applies only to a death certificate filed on or after April
1, 2018.
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of
the legislative session.