BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 485
	By: Johnson
	Administration
	5/23/2023
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Both hospice care and supportive palliative care are critical patient and family-centered services that focus on patient comfort and dignity when suffering from serious illness. While hospice care is strictly end-of-life care, supportive palliative care focuses on improving quality of life while actively engaging in potentially curative or life-prolonging treatments. Distinguishing between the two is important to ensure that patients and their families receive adequate information to support their decision-making processes when dealing with serious illness. Recognizing both types of care on a state level will bring awareness to these very important and distinct types of care, and provide an opportunity to explain the similarities and differences in order to help patients and their families explore their care options and make informed decisions. It will also honor the hospice and palliative care workers who support seriously ill patients and their families.

This bill designates Hospice and Palliative Care Awareness Day to take place yearly on the second Saturday of October. This is in alignment with World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

Key Provisions:

• Amends the Government Code to designate Hospice and Palliative Care Awareness day on the second Saturday in October.
• The day may be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities.

S.B. 485 amends current law relating to designating the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 662, Government Code, by adding Section 662.081, as follows:

Sec. 662.081. HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE DAY. (a) Provides that the second Saturday in October is Hospice and Palliative Care Day to bring awareness to the role of hospice and palliative care in optimizing the quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families.

(b) Authorizes Hospice and Palliative Care Day to be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.