87R11453 EAS-D
 
  By: Goodwin H.B. No. 3980
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a health facility's removal of medical equipment from a
  deceased individual's body before transfer to a funeral director;
  authorizing an administrative penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 4, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
  adding Subtitle H to read as follows:
  SUBTITLE H. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS RELATED TO
  HEALTH FACILITIES
  CHAPTER 331. GENERAL DUTIES OF HEALTH FACILITIES
         Sec. 331.001.  REMOVAL OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FROM DECEASED
  INDIVIDUAL; ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Health facility" means a facility licensed under
  Subtitle B.
               (2)  "Funeral director" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 651.001, Occupations Code.
               (3)  "Medical equipment" means an instrument,
  apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, or other article,
  other than an implant, that is used in the treatment, monitoring, or
  diagnosis of a patient, including:
                     (A)  bandages;
                     (B)  catheters;
                     (C)  cannulae;
                     (D)  defibrillator pads;
                     (E)  drains;
                     (F)  endotracheal tubes;
                     (G)  feeding tubes; and
                     (H)  intravascular lines.
         (b)  If an individual dies in a health facility, the facility
  shall remove all medical equipment from the deceased individual's
  body before the body is transferred to a funeral director in
  accordance with Section 651.401, Occupations Code.
         (c)  The commission shall impose an administrative penalty
  against a health facility that violates this section. The penalty
  may not exceed $500 for each violation.
         SECTION 2.  Section 331.001, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by this Act, applies only to the body of an individual who
  dies on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.