| 1 | 1 | | 85S10123 DMS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.B. No. 51 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to pregnancy-related deaths and maternal morbidity, |
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| 8 | 8 | | including postpartum depression. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 34.005, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 34.005. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) study and review: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (A) cases of pregnancy-related deaths; [and] |
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| 15 | 15 | | (B) trends, rates, or disparities in |
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| 16 | 16 | | pregnancy-related deaths and [in] severe maternal morbidity; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (C) health conditions and factors that |
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| 18 | 18 | | disproportionately affect the most at-risk population as |
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| 19 | 19 | | determined in the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force and |
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| 20 | 20 | | Department of State Health Services Joint Biennial Report (July |
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| 21 | 21 | | 2016); and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (D) best practices and programs operating in |
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| 23 | 23 | | other states that have reduced rates of pregnancy-related deaths; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) compare rates of pregnancy-related deaths based on |
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| 25 | 25 | | the socioeconomic status of the mother; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) determine the feasibility of the task force |
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| 27 | 27 | | studying cases of severe maternal morbidity; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) [(3)] make recommendations to help reduce the |
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| 29 | 29 | | incidence of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal |
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| 30 | 30 | | morbidity in this state. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 2. Sections 34.007(a) and (b), Health and Safety |
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| 32 | 32 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (a) The department shall determine a statistically |
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| 34 | 34 | | significant number of cases of pregnancy-related deaths for review. |
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| 35 | 35 | | The department shall either randomly select cases or select all |
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| 36 | 36 | | cases for the task force to review under this subsection to reflect |
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| 37 | 37 | | a cross-section of pregnancy-related deaths in this state. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The department shall statistically analyze aggregate |
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| 39 | 39 | | data of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity in |
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| 40 | 40 | | this state to identify any trends, rates, or disparities. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. Chapter 34, Health and Safety Code, is amended by |
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| 42 | 42 | | adding Section 34.0155 to read as follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 34.0155. REPORT ON PREGNANCY-RELATED DEATHS AND |
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| 44 | 44 | | POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. The commission shall: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) evaluate options for reducing pregnancy-related |
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| 46 | 46 | | deaths, focusing on the most prevalent causes of pregnancy-related |
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| 47 | 47 | | deaths as identified in the task force's biennial report required |
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| 48 | 48 | | under Section 34.015, and for treating postpartum depression in |
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| 49 | 49 | | economically disadvantaged women; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) submit a written report summarizing the |
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| 51 | 51 | | commission's and department's efforts to accomplish the tasks |
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| 52 | 52 | | described by Subdivision (1) to the governor, the lieutenant |
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| 53 | 53 | | governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the |
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| 54 | 54 | | Legislative Budget Board, and the appropriate standing committees |
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| 55 | 55 | | of the legislature not later than December 1 of each even-numbered |
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| 56 | 56 | | year. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 4. Section 34.018, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 58 | 58 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 59 | 59 | | Sec. 34.018. SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject to |
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| 60 | 60 | | Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued |
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| 61 | 61 | | in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force is |
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| 62 | 62 | | abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2023 [2019]. |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 64 | 64 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 65 | 65 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 66 | 66 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 67 | 67 | | Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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| 68 | 68 | | legislative session. |
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