| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to continuing medical education requirements for certain |
|
|
physicians regarding adoption. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 156, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 156.061 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 156.061. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION REGARDING TEXAS |
|
|
ADOPTION LAW. (a) A physician licensed under this subtitle who |
|
|
submits an application for renewal of a registration permit and |
|
|
whose practice includes treating pregnant women must complete not |
|
|
less than two hours of continuing medical education related to |
|
|
Texas adoption law. |
|
|
(b) Continuing medical education under this section must |
|
|
include education regarding: |
|
|
(1) procedures for the termination of the parental |
|
|
rights of an alleged biological father for the purpose of adoption |
|
|
under Section 161.002, Family Code; |
|
|
(2) procedures for the voluntary termination of |
|
|
parental rights before and after birth under Sections 161.102 and |
|
|
161.103, Family Code; |
|
|
(3) procedures for a mother to authorize the release |
|
|
of her newborn child from a hospital or birthing center to a |
|
|
licensed child placing agency, the Department of Family and |
|
|
Protective Services, or another designated person under Section |
|
|
161.108, Family Code; |
|
|
(4) terms regarding limited post-termination contact |
|
|
that may be included in an order terminating the parent-child |
|
|
relationship under Section 161.2061, Family Code; |
|
|
(5) provisions for a designated emergency infant care |
|
|
provider to take possession of an abandoned child under Section |
|
|
262.302, Family Code; |
|
|
(6) financial assistance that a child-placing agency |
|
|
may pay to an expectant mother as described by Section 25.08(b)(4), |
|
|
Penal Code; and |
|
|
(7) differences between private adoption and foster |
|
|
care adoption, including: |
|
|
(A) the processes and legal requirements for |
|
|
private adoption and foster care adoption; |
|
|
(B) the role of private adoption agencies and the |
|
|
Department of Family and Protective Services with respect to |
|
|
facilitating adoption; |
|
|
(C) support services available to expectant |
|
|
mothers and adoptive families through private adoption and foster |
|
|
care adoption; and |
|
|
(D) the rights and responsibilities of birth |
|
|
parents, adoptive parents, and this state in private adoption and |
|
|
foster care adoption. |
|
|
(c) A physician must complete the hours required by |
|
|
Subsection (a) in each of the first two renewal periods following |
|
|
the issuance of the physician's initial registration permit under |
|
|
this chapter, with at least one hour to be completed not later than |
|
|
the first anniversary of the date of issuance. |
|
|
(d) After the period described by Subsection (c), a |
|
|
physician must complete not less than two hours of continuing |
|
|
medical education described by Subsection (b) every eight years. |
|
|
(e) The hours required by this section may be counted toward |
|
|
the hours of continuing medical education completed to comply with |
|
|
Section 156.051(a)(2). |
|
|
(f) The board shall adopt rules to implement this section, |
|
|
including rules establishing content and approval requirements to |
|
|
ensure the continuing medical education described by this section |
|
|
aligns with current medical standards and guidelines. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas |
|
|
Medical Board shall adopt the rules necessary to implement the |
|
|
changes in law made by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |