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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a task force on lowering the |
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incidence of premature births and improving the care of premature |
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infants. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(2) "Department" means the Department of State Health |
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Services. |
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(3) "Premature infant" means an infant born before 39 |
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weeks of gestation. |
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(4) "Task force" means the Task Force on Premature |
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Infants established under this section. |
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(b) The executive commissioner shall establish a task force |
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to assist the department and appropriate health and human services |
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agencies in developing recommendations for: |
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(1) lowering the incidence of births before 39 weeks |
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of gestation; and |
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(2) ensuring the proper care of premature infants |
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after they are discharged from the hospital. |
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(c) The executive commissioner shall determine the number |
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of members to serve on the task force. The task force must include: |
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(1) one or more neonatologists; |
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(2) a representative from the March of Dimes; |
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(3) representatives from parent organizations; and |
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(4) representatives from statewide hospital |
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associations. |
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(d) The executive commissioner shall designate a member of |
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the task force to serve as presiding officer. The members of the |
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task force shall elect any other necessary officers. |
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(e) The task force shall meet at the call of the executive |
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commissioner. |
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(f) A member of the task force serves at the will of the |
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executive commissioner. |
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(g) A member of the task force may not receive compensation |
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for serving on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for |
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travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the |
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business of the task force as provided by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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(h) The task force shall investigate: |
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(1) rehospitalization of premature infants in this |
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state; and |
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(2) primary causes for births before 39 weeks of |
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gestation in this state. |
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(i) The task force shall develop recommendations to: |
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(1) lower the incidence of births before 39 weeks of |
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gestation in this state; |
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(2) promote continuity of care for premature infants; |
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and |
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(3) improve reporting and data collection on |
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nonmedically indicated cesarean sections and labor inductions |
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performed before 39 weeks of gestation. |
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(j) The task force shall develop: |
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(1) a standard discharge tool for use by hospitals to |
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reduce the rate of premature infant rehospitalization; and |
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(2) educational materials and planning tools, |
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including identification of community resources, for the family of |
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a premature infant who is discharged from a hospital. |
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(k) Not later than January 1, 2013, the task force shall |
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submit a report to the executive commissioner, the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the chairs of the appropriate legislative committees on its |
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findings and recommendations required by this section. |
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(l) The task force is abolished and this Act expires August |
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31, 2013. |
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SECTION 2. The executive commissioner of the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall appoint members to the Task Force |
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on Premature Infants, as created by this Act, as soon as practicable |
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after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |