H.B. No. 531
AN ACT
relating to the retention by hospitals and physicians of certain
medical records of a sexual assault victim.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 241.1031 to read as follows:
Sec. 241.1031. PRESERVATION OF RECORD FROM FORENSIC MEDICAL
EXAMINATION. (a) A hospital may not destroy a medical record from
the forensic medical examination of a sexual assault victim
conducted under Article 56.06 or 56.065, Code of Criminal
Procedure, until the 20th anniversary of the date the record was
created.
(b) A hospital may maintain a medical record described by
Subsection (a) in the same form in which the hospital maintains
other medical records.
SECTION 2. Section 153.003, Occupations Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 153.003. RULES REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF PATIENT
RECORDS. (a) The board by rule shall establish the period for
which patient records must be maintained.
(b) The rules adopted under this section must prohibit a
physician from destroying a medical record from the forensic
medical examination of a sexual assault victim conducted under
Article 56.06 or 56.065, Code of Criminal Procedure, until the 20th
anniversary of the date the record was created.
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a medical record created on or after March 1, 2020. A medical
record created before March 1, 2020, is governed by the law in
effect on the date the record was created, and the former law is
continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 531 was passed by the House on April
17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 531 was passed by the Senate on May
17, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor