BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2159 By: Gmez Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that minor parents can consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment for their children, but those parents must still obtain parental consent for their own health care. H.B. 2159 seeks to ensure that young parents are able to access essential health care for themselves and for their children by explicitly granting minor parents with custody of their child the right to consent to their own medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment without requiring parental permission, in addition to the right to consent on behalf of their child. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 2159 amends the Family Code to clarify that the authorization for a child to consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment by a licensed physician or dentist if the child is unmarried, is the parent of a child, and has actual custody of that child applies with respect to the discretion of such a parent to consent to their own treatment and with respect to that person's discretion to consent to the treatment for their child. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2159
By: Gmez
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2159
By: Gmez
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that minor parents can consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment for their children, but those parents must still obtain parental consent for their own health care. H.B. 2159 seeks to ensure that young parents are able to access essential health care for themselves and for their children by explicitly granting minor parents with custody of their child the right to consent to their own medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment without requiring parental permission, in addition to the right to consent on behalf of their child.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 2159 amends the Family Code to clarify that the authorization for a child to consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment by a licensed physician or dentist if the child is unmarried, is the parent of a child, and has actual custody of that child applies with respect to the discretion of such a parent to consent to their own treatment and with respect to that person's discretion to consent to the treatment for their child.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that minor parents can consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment for their children, but those parents must still obtain parental consent for their own health care. H.B. 2159 seeks to ensure that young parents are able to access essential health care for themselves and for their children by explicitly granting minor parents with custody of their child the right to consent to their own medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment without requiring parental permission, in addition to the right to consent on behalf of their child.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2159 amends the Family Code to clarify that the authorization for a child to consent to medical, dental, psychological, and surgical treatment by a licensed physician or dentist if the child is unmarried, is the parent of a child, and has actual custody of that child applies with respect to the discretion of such a parent to consent to their own treatment and with respect to that person's discretion to consent to the treatment for their child.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.