BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The death of a child due to prolonged heat exposure while left unattended in a motor vehicle is as unacceptable as it is avoidable. Concerned parties assert that such a tragedy is largely due to a caregiver's lack of awareness of the dangers of leaving children in cars, even during moderately hot weather. C.S.H.B. 2574 seeks to address this issue by furthering awareness of the dangers of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle in warm weather conditions.
The committee substitute makes a minor technical correction at the request of the Legislative Council. (The words "and Prevention" on page 2, line 17 of the engrossed version were already added in S.B. 219, so the underscore is removed in the committee substitute.)
C.S.H.B. 2574 amends current law relating to increasing awareness of the danger of heatstroke for a child left unattended in a motor vehicle.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 161.501(a), Health and Safety Code, as amended by S.B. 219, Acts of the 84th legislature, Regular Session, as follows:
(a) Requires 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 to:
(1) provide the woman and the father of the infant, if possible, or another adult caregiver for the infant, with a resource pamphlet that includes:
(A)-(E) Makes no change to these paragraphs;
(F) Makes a nonsubstantive change; and
(G) the danger of heatstroke for a child left unattended in a motor vehicle;
(2)-(4) Makes no change to these subdivisions.
SECTION 2. (a) Requires the Department of State Health Services, not later than December 1, 2015, to make the informational materials required by Section 161.501(a)(1), Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, available on its Internet website.
(b) Provides that, notwithstanding Section 161.501(a)(1)(G), Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, a facility is not required to comply with that provision until January 1, 2016.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2015.