This website will be unavailable from Friday, April 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 29, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.

BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

H.B. 785

By: Raney

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note the opportunities that can arise for potential recipients of human embryos when in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients donate the embryos left unused after the IVF process is complete as an alternative to preserving or destroying the embryos. H.B. 785 seeks to encourage such donations by providing for the dissemination of embryo donation information by a physician performing an assisted reproduction procedure involving embryo creation and the Department of Family and Protective Services.                                                                                                                                                                    

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

H.B. 785 amends the Occupations Code to require a physician who performs on a patient an assisted reproduction procedure that involves the creation of a human embryo to inform the patient of the option of embryo donation for unused human embryos. The bill defines, among other terms, "embryo donation" as the act of transferring to another person a human embryo for implantation in any person who is not a genetic parent of the human embryo or the spouse of a genetic parent of the human embryo.

 

H.B. 785 amends the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to post information regarding embryo donation on its website and to require the information to include contact information for nonprofit organizations that facilitate embryo donation.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.