| 1 | 1 | | 89R12587 LRM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Pierson H.B. No. 5277 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the duties of the Texas Maternal Mortality and |
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| 10 | 10 | | Morbidity Review Committee and the collection, maintenance, and |
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| 11 | 11 | | disclosure of maternal health records regarding voluntary |
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| 12 | 12 | | termination of pregnancy. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Section 34.005, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 15 | 15 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 34.005. DUTIES OF REVIEW COMMITTEE. The review |
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| 17 | 17 | | committee shall: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) study and review: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (A) cases of pregnancy-related deaths, including |
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| 20 | 20 | | deaths related to voluntary termination of pregnancy; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (B) trends, rates, or disparities in |
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| 22 | 22 | | pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity, including |
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| 23 | 23 | | deaths and severe maternal morbidity related to voluntary |
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| 24 | 24 | | termination of pregnancy; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (C) health conditions and factors that |
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| 26 | 26 | | disproportionately affect the most at-risk population as |
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| 27 | 27 | | determined in the joint biennial report required under Section |
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| 28 | 28 | | 34.015; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (D) best practices and programs operating in |
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| 30 | 30 | | other states that have reduced rates of pregnancy-related deaths; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) compare rates of pregnancy-related deaths based on |
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| 32 | 32 | | the socioeconomic status of the mother; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (3) determine the feasibility of the review committee |
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| 34 | 34 | | studying cases of severe maternal morbidity; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (4) in consultation with the Perinatal Advisory |
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| 36 | 36 | | Council, make recommendations to help reduce the incidence of |
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| 37 | 37 | | pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity in this |
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| 38 | 38 | | state. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. Section 34.013, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 40 | 40 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 34.013. INAPPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter |
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| 42 | 42 | | does not apply to disclosure of records pertaining to [voluntary |
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| 43 | 43 | | or] therapeutic termination of pregnancy, and those records may not |
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| 44 | 44 | | be collected, maintained, or disclosed under this chapter. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 46 | 46 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 47 | 47 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 49 | 49 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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