BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2140

By: Simmons

Public Health

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee (MMMRC) was created to support the work of the Department of State Health Services in reducing the state's maternal mortality and morbidity rate. The MMMRC's duties include reviewing maternal cases of pregnancy-related deaths and certain statewide data trends and making recommendations to help reduce the incidence of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity in Texas.

Under current law, the MMMRC is comprised of 23 health care practitioners, community members, and advocates, but there is no specific requirement for it to include doulas, who are trained professionals that provide emotional and physical support for mothers during labor and postpartum. An article published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science indicated that doula support in perinatal care was associated with positive delivery outcomes, including reduced cesarean sections, premature deliveries, and length of labor. C.S.H.B. 2140 seeks to expand the membership of the MMMRC to include two doulas.

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

C.S.H.B. 2140 amends the Health and Safety Code to increase from 23 to 25 the number of members of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee by including two doulas appointed by the commissioner of state health services, one of whom must have experience providing care in an urban community, one of whom must have experience providing care in a rural community, and at least one of whom must specialize in end-of-life care. The bill requires the commissioner to appoint these additional members as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2140 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Both the introduced and the substitute increase from 23 to 25 the number of members of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee by including two doulas. However, the substitute specifies that one of the doulas must have experience providing care in an urban community, one of the doulas must have experience providing care in a rural community, and at least one of the doulas must specialize in end-of-life care, whereas the introduced provided for the inclusion of one doula and one doula specializing in end-of-life care.