Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4199 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 03/08/2019

                            86R3454 SCL-D
 By: Flynn H.B. No. 4199


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to eliminating the wrongful birth cause of action.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Title 4, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
 amended by adding Chapter 71A to read as follows:
 CHAPTER 71A. PROHIBITED CAUSES OF ACTION
 Sec. 71A.0001.  WRONGFUL BIRTH. (a)  A cause of action may
 not arise, and damages may not be awarded, on behalf of any person,
 based on the claim that but for the act or omission of another, a
 person would not have been permitted to have been born alive but
 would have been aborted.
 (b)  This section may not be construed to eliminate any duty
 of a physician or other health care practitioner under any other
 applicable law.
 SECTION 2.  Section 71A.0001, Civil Practice and Remedies
 Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that
 accrues on or after the effective date of this Act.
 SECTION 3.  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 September 1, 2019.