Bill Text: TX HB259 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of subcommittees within the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee to study maternal mortality.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-07-13 - Filed [HB259 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB259-Introduced.html
| 87S10901 JG-D | ||
| By: Sherman, Sr. | H.B. No. 259 | |
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| relating to the establishment of subcommittees within the Texas | ||
| Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee to study maternal | ||
| mortality. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 34, Health and Safety Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Sections 34.022, 34.023, and 34.024 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 34.022. SUBCOMMITTEE ON MATERNAL HEALTH DISPARITIES. | ||
| (a) In this section, "subcommittee" means the subcommittee on | ||
| maternal health disparities established under this section. | ||
| (b) The department and the review committee shall | ||
| establish, within the review committee, a subcommittee on maternal | ||
| health disparities to: | ||
| (1) study maternal mortality rates among women in this | ||
| state; and | ||
| (2) develop and provide recommendations to the | ||
| department and the review committee on improving maternal health | ||
| outcomes. | ||
| (c) The subcommittee is composed of a number of members who | ||
| meet appropriate qualifications as determined by the department and | ||
| review committee. | ||
| (d) A member of the subcommittee serves at the pleasure of | ||
| the department and the review committee. | ||
| (e) The members of the subcommittee shall elect a presiding | ||
| officer from among the membership of the subcommittee. | ||
| (f) The subcommittee may accept gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations from any source to carry out the subcommittee's duties | ||
| imposed under this section. | ||
| (g) The subcommittee is abolished and this section expires | ||
| September 1, 2031. | ||
| Sec. 34.023. SUBCOMMITTEE ON MATERNAL HEALTH DISPARITIES | ||
| FOR BLACK WOMEN. (a) In this section, "subcommittee" means the | ||
| subcommittee on maternal health disparities for black women | ||
| established under this section. | ||
| (b) The department and the review committee shall | ||
| establish, within the review committee, a subcommittee on maternal | ||
| health disparities for black women to: | ||
| (1) study maternal mortality rates for black women in | ||
| this state and any related disparities; and | ||
| (2) develop and provide recommendations to the | ||
| department and the review committee on improving maternal health | ||
| outcomes among black women in this state. | ||
| (c) The subcommittee is composed of 11 members appointed by | ||
| the department and the review committee as follows: | ||
| (1) three licensed obstetricians or gynecologists | ||
| certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, each | ||
| with 15 or more years of experience in either field and a patient | ||
| base consisting of not less than 25 percent of individuals who are | ||
| members of a racial minority; | ||
| (2) one primary care physician with 15 or more years of | ||
| experience in that field and whose expertise is in maternal health; | ||
| (3) one surgeon with 15 or more years of experience in | ||
| that field and whose expertise is in maternal health; | ||
| (4) one anesthesiologist with 15 or more years of | ||
| experience in that field and whose expertise is in maternal health; | ||
| (5) one licensed mental health professional with 15 or | ||
| more years of experience in that field and whose expertise is in | ||
| postpartum depression; | ||
| (6) one neonatologist; | ||
| (7) one perinatologist; and | ||
| (8) two individuals with relevant and appropriate | ||
| expertise in maternal health. | ||
| (d) In making the appointments under Subsection (c)(1), the | ||
| department and the review committee shall ensure: | ||
| (1) one member is an obstetrician or gynecologist with | ||
| 10 or more years of experience specializing in the field of | ||
| neonatology; | ||
| (2) one member is an obstetrician or gynecologist with | ||
| 10 or more years of experience specializing in the field of | ||
| perinatology; and | ||
| (3) one member is an obstetrician or gynecologist with | ||
| experience working at a community hospital as an obstetrician or | ||
| gynecologist for less than nine years. | ||
| (e) The members of the subcommittee shall elect a presiding | ||
| officer from among the membership of the subcommittee. | ||
| (f) The department and the review committee shall fill a | ||
| vacancy on the subcommittee by appointing a person who has the same | ||
| qualifications as required for the original appointee. | ||
| (g) A member of the subcommittee is not entitled to | ||
| compensation for service on the subcommittee but is entitled to | ||
| reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in | ||
| performing subcommittee duties authorized by the presiding | ||
| officer, provided funding is available for that purpose. | ||
| (h) The subcommittee shall meet at least quarterly and at | ||
| other times at the call of the presiding officer. | ||
| (i) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any | ||
| other law, the subcommittee may meet by telephone conference call, | ||
| videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method. A | ||
| meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or | ||
| other similar telecommunication method is subject to the | ||
| requirements of Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government | ||
| Code. | ||
| (j) The subcommittee may accept gifts, grants, and | ||
| donations from any source to carry out the subcommittee duties | ||
| imposed under this section. | ||
| (k) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the | ||
| subcommittee established under this section. | ||
| (l) The subcommittee established under this section and | ||
| this section expire on September 1, 2031. | ||
| Sec. 34.024. BIENNIAL REPORTS; IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN | ||
| RECOMMENDATIONS. (a) Not later than September 1 of each | ||
| even-numbered year, the subcommittees established under Sections | ||
| 34.022 and 34.023 shall each prepare and submit to each member of | ||
| the legislature, the department, and the review committee a report | ||
| that: | ||
| (1) includes the results of the study conducted by | ||
| each subcommittee and recommendations for legislative or | ||
| regulatory action based on those results; and | ||
| (2) examines and considers any trends or changes in | ||
| maternal health. | ||
| (b) To the extent permitted by law and as the executive | ||
| commissioner determines appropriate, the commission shall | ||
| implement any regulatory recommendations included in a report under | ||
| this section that are within the commission's prescribed authority. | ||
| (c) This section expires September 1, 2031. | ||
| SECTION 2. Not later than February 1, 2022, the Department | ||
| of State Health Services and the Texas Maternal Mortality and | ||
| Morbidity Review Committee established under Chapter 34, Health and | ||
| Safety Code, shall establish and appoint members to the | ||
| subcommittees as required under Sections 34.022 and 34.023, Health | ||
| and Safety Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect December 1, 2021. | ||
