BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1599

By: Miles

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerned parties note the increase in the state's maternal mortality rate. S.B. 1599 seeks to address this issue by providing for the posting of certain information regarding a systematic protocol for pregnancy-related death investigations and best practices for reporting pregnancy‑related deaths.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1599 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to post on the DSHS website information regarding the systematic protocol for pregnancy-related death investigations and the best practices for reporting pregnancy-related deaths to the medical examiner or justice of the peace of each county, as applicable. The bill requires such information to include guidelines for determining when a comprehensive toxicology screening should be performed on a person whose death was related to pregnancy, determining when a death should be reported to or investigated by a medical examiner or justice of the peace under the Code of Criminal Procedure, and correctly completing the death certificate of a person whose death was related to pregnancy. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules as necessary to implement the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.