BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 559

By: Miles

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns that medical records regarding a pregnancy-related death are not being submitted to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for their analysis in a timely fashion. S.B. 559 seeks to address this concern by requiring a hospital, birthing center, or other custodian of a patient's records to submit such medical records to DSHS not later than the 30th business day after receiving a request for the records from DSHS. 

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

S.B. 559 amends the Health and Safety Code to require a hospital, birthing center, or other custodian of a patient's records, not later than the 30th business day after receiving a request from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for records regarding a pregnancy-related death for a specific patient, to submit the records to DSHS. The bill requires such a request to be limited to a patient's medical records.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.