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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing information and other services relating to |
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emergency contraception to sexual assault survivors. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 323, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Sections 323.0051 and 323.0052 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 323.0051. EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE INFORMATION. (a) |
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The department shall develop a standard information form for sexual |
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assault survivors that includes information regarding emergency |
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contraception. |
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(b) Emergency contraception information contained in the |
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form must be medically and factually accurate and unbiased. The |
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department may use appropriate medical organizations and |
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associations, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and |
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Gynecologists, as resources in developing the form. |
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(c) The information form shall be published in: |
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(1) an easily comprehensible form; and |
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(2) a typeface large enough to be clearly legible. |
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(d) The department shall annually review the information |
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form to determine if changes to the contents of the form are |
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necessary. |
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(e) A health care facility shall use the standard form |
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developed under this section. |
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Sec. 323.0052. EMERGENCY SERVICES RELATING TO EMERGENCY |
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CONTRACEPTION. In addition to the other services and information |
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required under this chapter, after a sexual assault survivor |
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arrives at a health care facility for emergency care following an |
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alleged sexual assault, the facility shall: |
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(1) provide the sexual assault survivor with the |
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information form required under Section 323.0051; |
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(2) orally communicate to the sexual assault survivor |
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the information regarding emergency contraception contained in the |
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information form provided under Subdivision (1); |
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(3) if indicated by the history of contact, orally |
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inform the sexual assault survivor that the survivor may request |
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and be provided with emergency contraception at the facility; and |
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(4) if not medically contraindicated and if the |
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survivor agrees to submit to a pregnancy test and that pregnancy |
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test produces a negative result, provide the sexual assault |
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survivor with emergency contraception immediately on request of the |
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survivor. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |