H.B. No. 341




AN ACT

relating to parenting and postpartum counseling information to be 
provided to a pregnant woman.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, is amended 
by adding Subchapter R to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER R.  PARENTING AND POSTPARTUM COUNSELING INFORMATION
	Sec. 161.451.  RESOURCE LIST.  (a)  A hospital, birthing 
center, physician, nurse midwife, or midwife who provides prenatal 
care to a pregnant woman during gestation or at delivery of an 
infant shall:
		(1)  provide the woman with a resource list of the 
names, addresses, and phone numbers of professional organizations 
that provide postpartum counseling and assistance to parents;
		(2)  document in the patient's record that the patient 
received the information described in Subdivision (1); and
		(3)  retain the documentation for at least three years 
in the hospital's, birthing center's, physician's, nurse midwife's, 
or midwife's records.
	(b)  The list must include resources a parent may contact to 
receive counseling and assistance for postpartum depression and 
other emotional traumas associated with pregnancy and parenting.
	(c)  A hospital, birthing center, physician, nurse midwife, 
or midwife who provides prenatal care to a woman during gestation or 
at delivery is presumed to have complied with this section if the 
woman received prior prenatal care from another hospital, birthing 
center, physician, or midwife in this state during the same 
pregnancy.
	Sec. 161.452.  DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.  The department shall:             
		(1)  establish guidelines for the provision of the 
information required by Section 161.451;
		(2)  make available on the department's website a 
printable list of professional organizations that provide 
postpartum counseling and assistance to parents; and
		(3)  update the list required under Subdivision (2) 
monthly.         
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 341 was passed by the House on May 10, 
2003, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in Senate 
amendments to H.B. No. 341 on May 30, 2003, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	
I certify that H.B. No. 341 was passed by the Senate, with 
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 
0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                      Secretary of the Senate   



APPROVED: __________________                                                
 
                Date                                                         




 
         __________________                                              
 
              Governor