| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to ectopic pregnancies and continuing education for |
|
|
certain physicians and nurses regarding treatment of certain |
|
|
pregnancy-related conditions. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 245.002(4-a), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(4-a) "Ectopic pregnancy" means the implantation of a |
|
|
fertilized egg or embryo: |
|
|
(A) outside of the uterus; |
|
|
(B) in an intrauterine location at which the |
|
|
fertilized egg or embryo becomes nonviable; or |
|
|
(C) in a scarred portion of the uterus. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 156, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 156.061 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 156.061. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION REGARDING |
|
|
TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PREGNANCY-RELATED CONDITIONS. (a) In this |
|
|
section: |
|
|
(1) "Abortion" and "ectopic pregnancy" have the |
|
|
meanings assigned by Section 245.002, Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
(2) "Medical emergency" has the meaning assigned by |
|
|
Section 171.002, Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
(b) A physician licensed under this subtitle who submits an |
|
|
application for renewal of a registration permit and whose practice |
|
|
includes treating pregnant women shall complete, in accordance with |
|
|
this section, at least one hour of continuing medical education |
|
|
approved by the board on the treatment of: |
|
|
(1) pregnancy-related medical emergencies; |
|
|
(2) ectopic pregnancy; and |
|
|
(3) situations involving a dead, unborn child whose |
|
|
death was caused by a spontaneous abortion. |
|
|
(c) The continuing medical education required under |
|
|
Subsection (b) must include instruction on: |
|
|
(1) standards of care for managing a condition or |
|
|
situation described by Subsection (b); |
|
|
(2) identification of and timely response to a medical |
|
|
emergency caused or aggravated by a woman's pregnancy and that |
|
|
requires intervention; |
|
|
(3) how abortion is defined under Section 245.002, |
|
|
Health and Safety Code, including the medical situations and |
|
|
interventions excluded from abortion regulations protecting unborn |
|
|
life; |
|
|
(4) how medical emergency is defined under Section |
|
|
171.002, Health and Safety Code, and what interventions are |
|
|
permitted in a medical emergency involving a pregnant woman; and |
|
|
(5) communication strategies for effectively |
|
|
discussing a condition or situation described by Subsection (b) |
|
|
with patients and their families. |
|
|
(d) A physician must complete one hour of continuing medical |
|
|
education required by Subsection (b) in each of the first two |
|
|
renewal periods following the issuance of the physician's initial |
|
|
registration permit under this chapter, with one hour to be |
|
|
completed not later than the first anniversary of the date of |
|
|
issuance. |
|
|
(e) After the period described by Subsection (d), a |
|
|
physician must complete not less than one hour of continuing |
|
|
medical education as described by Subsection (b) every eight years. |
|
|
(f) The hours required by this section may be counted toward |
|
|
the hours of continuing medical education required by Section |
|
|
156.051(a)(2). |
|
|
(g) The board shall adopt rules to implement this section, |
|
|
including rules to establish the content of and approval |
|
|
requirements for continuing medical education required under this |
|
|
section. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 301.309 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 301.309. CONTINUING EDUCATION REGARDING TREATMENT OF |
|
|
CERTAIN PREGNANCY-RELATED CONDITIONS. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Abortion" and "ectopic pregnancy" have the |
|
|
meanings assigned by Section 245.002, Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
(2) "Medical emergency" has the meaning assigned by |
|
|
Section 171.002, Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
(b) As part of a continuing competency program under Section |
|
|
301.303, a license holder whose practice includes treating pregnant |
|
|
women and who is required under board rules to comply with this |
|
|
section shall complete at least one hour of continuing education |
|
|
during each two-year licensing period relating to the treatment of: |
|
|
(1) pregnancy-related medical emergencies; |
|
|
(2) ectopic pregnancy; and |
|
|
(3) situations involving a dead, unborn child whose |
|
|
death was caused by a spontaneous abortion. |
|
|
(c) The continuing education under Subsection (b) must |
|
|
include instruction on: |
|
|
(1) standards of care for managing a condition or |
|
|
situation described by Subsection (b); |
|
|
(2) identification of and timely response to a medical |
|
|
emergency caused or aggravated by a woman's pregnancy and that |
|
|
requires intervention; |
|
|
(3) how abortion is defined under Section 245.002, |
|
|
Health and Safety Code, including the medical situations and |
|
|
interventions excluded from abortion regulations protecting unborn |
|
|
life; |
|
|
(4) how medical emergency is defined under Section |
|
|
171.002, Health and Safety Code, and what interventions are |
|
|
permitted in a medical emergency involving a pregnant woman; and |
|
|
(5) communication strategies for effectively |
|
|
discussing a condition or situation described by Subsection (b) |
|
|
with patients and their families. |
|
|
(d) The continuing education required under Subsection (b) |
|
|
must be part of a program approved under Section 301.303(c). |
|
|
(e) The board shall adopt rules to identify the license |
|
|
holders who are required to complete continuing education under |
|
|
Subsection (b) and to establish the content of that continuing |
|
|
education. The board may adopt other rules to implement this |
|
|
section, including rules under Section 301.303(c) for the approval |
|
|
of education programs and providers. |
|
|
SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas |
|
|
Medical Board shall adopt rules necessary to implement Section |
|
|
156.061, Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
(b) Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas Board of |
|
|
Nursing shall adopt rules necessary to implement Section 301.309, |
|
|
Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. (a) Section 156.061, Occupations Code, as added |
|
|
by this Act, applies only to an application for renewal of a |
|
|
registration permit submitted on or after January 1, 2026. An |
|
|
application submitted before January 1, 2026, is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
|
|
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
(b) Section 301.309, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, |
|
|
applies only to an application for the renewal of a license to |
|
|
practice nursing submitted on or after January 1, 2026. An |
|
|
application submitted before January 1, 2026, is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and |
|
|
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |