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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to maternal mortality reporting and investigation |
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information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. MATERNAL MORTALITY REPORTING AND INVESTIGATION |
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INFORMATION |
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Sec. 1001.241. MATERNAL MORTALITY REPORTING AND |
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INVESTIGATION INFORMATION. (a) The department shall post on the |
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department's Internet website information regarding the systematic |
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protocol for pregnancy-related death investigations and the best |
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practices for reporting pregnancy-related deaths to the medical |
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examiner or justice of the peace of each county, as applicable. |
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(b) The information provided under Subsection (a) must |
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include guidelines for: |
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(1) determining when a comprehensive toxicology |
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screening should be performed on a person whose death was related to |
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pregnancy; |
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(2) determining when a death should be reported to or |
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investigated by a medical examiner or justice of the peace under |
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Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure; and |
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(3) correctly completing the death certificate of a |
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person whose death was related to pregnancy. |
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(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules as |
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necessary to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |