| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to prohibited discrimination by health care providers |
|
|
based on an individual's age, race, disability, immigration status, |
|
|
sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 531.0333 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 531.0333. PROHIBITED DISCRIMINATION BY HEALTH CARE |
|
|
PROVIDER BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION. (a) In this |
|
|
section: |
|
|
(1) "Disability" has the meaning assigned by Section |
|
|
21.002, Labor Code. |
|
|
(2) "Gender identity or expression" means having or |
|
|
being perceived as having a gender-related identity, appearance, |
|
|
expression, or behavior, regardless of whether that identity, |
|
|
appearance, expression, or behavior is different from that commonly |
|
|
associated with the individual's actual or perceived sex. |
|
|
(b) A health care provider may not refuse to provide health |
|
|
care services to a patient or enter into a contract for the |
|
|
provision of health care services to a patient solely because of a |
|
|
patient's age, race, disability, immigration status, sex, sexual |
|
|
orientation, or gender identity or expression. |
|
|
(c) A health care provider that violates this section is not |
|
|
eligible to receive money from this state for services provided to |
|
|
patients, including through the medical assistance program under |
|
|
Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, or through the child health plan |
|
|
program under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
|
|
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
|
|
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
|
|
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
|
|
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
|
|
waiver or authorization is granted. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |