Latest news with #TexasHousePublicHealthCommittee
Fox News
08-04-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Texas lawmakers consider bipartisan bill aimed at clarifying exceptions to state's abortion restrictions
Texas lawmakers are considering a bipartisan bill to clarify the state's abortion ban, as many doctors have expressed concerns that the law is not clear about when they may step in to protect the life of the mother without committing a crime. The state has a near-total abortion ban, but doctors, using reasonable medical judgment, are permitted to take action in cases where a pregnant woman faces a life-threatening physical condition or substantial impairment of major bodily function. Now, the state legislature is seeking to pass a measure to clarify how narrow that exception is, which will give doctors a more clear idea of when they can intervene in situations where there are pregnancy complications. House Bill 44 and Senate Bill 31 are matching bills that have each been introduced in their respective chambers, with the Texas House Public Health Committee hearing testimony on Monday regarding the version in the lower chamber. "This is not someone who is six weeks and driving to Planned Parenthood because they don't want their baby," Catholic Conference of Bishops executive director Jennifer Alman said, according to FOX 4. "This is a woman who very much wants her baby at 20 weeks and having a medical emergency where she has lost her child," Alman continued. "Even if it's not fully dead yet, her child is in the act of dying and the only way she can survive to parent her other children is to accept that death, protect her life and that is what the bill seeks to strike a balance of." The legislation, also called the Life of the Mother Act in both chambers, has brought together major pro-life groups, doctors, hospitals, Republicans and Democrats, said GOP Rep. Charlie Green, who authored the House version. "We know women's bodies have been horribly injured because doctors and hospitals are afraid to provide abortions that could save their bodies," Green said, according to FOX 4. "That's because some of the language in our current law is not clear to doctors and hospitals." The lack of exceptions under Texas' abortion ban prompted a lawsuit brought by 20 women, according to FOX 4, though it was rejected by the state Supreme Court. The court also called on the Texas Medical Board to provide clarity for doctors on when an abortion may be permitted under state law. The medical board said its job is not to clarify the law, sending the issue back to lawmakers, the outlet reported. Some who testified expressed concerns that the legislation would allow a loophole in the abortion ban. On the other side, some of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue the bill does not go far enough since it does not take into account fatal abnormalities of the fetus. Sarah Harrison said she was pregnant with twins when one of them had a fatal condition, according to FOX 4. "What if I got pregnant with twins again and I have to leave again? The trauma is real. It is real. It's intense. Of course, I feel scared to get pregnant in this state," she testified. Rep. Ann Johnson, a Democrat, said: "This bill does not include fetal abnormality. It does not include rape. But it does include a bipartisan approach to try to address the challenges." "I heard you guys say not sick enough. This bill does an important thing that does say you do not delay treatment. This bill does try to address that delay in time," she continued. The legislation appears to have enough support for approval.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House Bill 44 aims to clarify exceptions to Texas' strict abortion law
The Brief A bill in the Texas House would provide clarity about medical exceptions to the state's restrictive abortion law. Supporters want clarity on which life-threatening emergencies would make it legally acceptable for a doctor to perform an abortion. Lawmakers heard testimony on HB 44 on Monday. DALLAS - After Texas lawmakers passed a near-total ban on abortions with no exceptions, many doctors feared they would be committing a crime if they intervened. House Bill 44 is a bipartisan bill that would clarify the law. But some argue it doesn't go far enough. What we know Dozens of people testified before the Texas House Public Health Committee on Monday, mostly in support of HB 44. The bill, authored by Fort Worth Republican Charlie Green, aims to provide clarity for doctors to know when they can step in during a pregnancy that has life-threatening complications. "The Life of the Mother Act has brought together all of the major pro-life groups, doctors, hospitals, Republicans, and Democrats," Green said. "We know women's bodies have been horribly injured because doctors and hospitals are afraid to provide abortions that could save their bodies. That's because some of the language in our current law is not clear to doctors and hospitals." The backstory For the past three years, since the near-total ban on Texas abortions went into effect, doctors and patients have faced uncertainty about the legal consequences. The lack of exceptions led to a lawsuit by 20 women. It was rejected by the Texas Supreme Court. However, the court also told the Texas Medical Board to provide clarity for doctors. The medical board said that's not its job, bringing the issue back to the legislature. What they're saying "This is not someone who is six weeks and driving to Planned Parenthood because they don't want their baby. This is a woman who very much wants her baby at 20 weeks and having a medical emergency where she has lost her child. Even if it's not fully dead yet, her child is in the act of dying and the only way she can survive to parent her other children is to accept that death, protect her life and that is what the bill seeks to strike a balance of," said Jennifer Alman, the executive director for the Catholic Conference of Bishops. The other side Some in the hearing worried that HB 44 would allow a loophole in the abortion ban. Some of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit also argue the bill does not go far enough because it doesn't account for fatal abnormalities of the fetus. Sarah Harrison was pregnant with twins. One of them had a fatal condition. "What if I got pregnant with twins again and I have to leave again? The trauma is real. It is real. It's intense. Of course, I feel scared to get pregnant in this state," she told lawmakers. "This bill does not include fetal abnormality. It does not include rape. But it does include a bipartisan approach to try to address the challenges. I heard you guys say not sick enough. This bill does an important thing that does say you do not delay treatment. This bill does try to address that delay in time," said Rep. Ann Johnson of Houston. What's next Lawmakers are still hearing testimony on the bill. There is also a companion bill in the Texas Senate. There appears to be enough bipartisan support to get it across the finish line. The Source The information in this story comes from State Rep. Charlie Green of Fort Worth and testimony given during Monday's Texas House Public Health Committee hearing on HB 44.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Medical exceptions for abortion addressed in Texas House Committee
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Monday, the Texas House Public Health Committee took public testimony on a bill to clarify medical exceptions for abortion in the state of Texas. The Life of the Mother Act, or HB 44, clarifies some of the language in the current bill that dissuades doctors from performing life-saving care on a woman because it would require her to have an abortion. In doing so, it's hoped that physicians will feel more confident in acting on their reasonable medical judgment to provide this care. 'The Life of the Mother Act has brought together all of the major pro-life groups: the doctors, the hospitals, Republicans, Democrats, and people that are on both sides of the abortion issue,' said bill author Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, at the hearing. 'And it's simple, we do not want women to die from medical emergencies during their pregnancies.' Following the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Texas took steps to ban abortions throughout the state with few exceptions. In light of medical instances that created uncertainty about when it is appropriate to intervene to save the life of the mother or the fetus, proponents on both sides argue that the bill's exceptions remain too restrictive. The potential consequences are high. Doctors face up to 99 years in prison, a minimum fine of $100,000 and the loss of their medical license if found guilty of performing an illegal abortion. In addition, they could face expensive civil lawsuits under the Texas Heartbeat Act, also known as Senate Bill 8, which allows any citizen to sue anyone they believe performed or helped facilitate an abortion for a minimum of $10,000. 'HB 44 does not change the state's stance on elective abortion, it simply clarifies the law and provides additional protection when physicians exercise reasonable medical judgment to protect the life or the health of a pregnant patient,' said Dr. Deborah Fuller from the Texas Medical Association in her testimony. One of the ways the bill does this is by removing the phrase 'life-threatening,' clarifying that the exception to the state's abortion ban is when there is a threat to the life of the mother or a risk of the substantial impairment of a major bodily function. The phrase 'life-threatening' was a point of confusion for physicians who were unclear if 'life-threatening' referred to the immediate state of the patient or their state sometime in the future. The removal of this language would reduce hesitation in these scenarios. Brooke Knudtson Stroud testified about her experience with the consequences of this hesitation. Knudtson Stroud lost her pregnancy in 2023 after finding a near rupture in her fallopian tube. Despite showing warning signs and reporting them to her physicians, she was told her symptoms were normal until it was too late. 'Something I've learned through it all is I'm my only advocate and that's why I'm here to support HB 44. Because this isn't about politics, it's about common sense, making sure women like me—daughters, wives, aspiring mothers—get the care we needed,' said Knudtson Stroud at the hearing. In addition, the bill explains that physicians who exercise reasonable medical judgment when determining their course of action in these cases will not be subject to disciplinary action. The Public Health committee adjourned as the House convened in the chamber. They plan to reconvene later this afternoon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Rural healthcare bill considered by Texas House Committee
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – The Texas House Public Health Committee met Monday morning to discuss a bill that aims to make sure rural Texans have access to hospital and health care services. House Bill 18, known as The Rural Health Stabilization and Innovation Act, provides a comprehensive plan for ensuring that rural Texans receive adequate medical care. The committee heard from the bill's author, Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, as well as numerous stakeholders. 'Members, there are Texans who do not currently have access to hospitals and health care services that the majority of us take for granted,' VanDeaver said. 'We have the opportunity this session to change that.' VanDeaver said nine of the 13 members of the Public Health Committee come from urban areas with a total of 202 hospitals. The four representatives from rural areas make up 28 counties with only 30 hospitals in the entire area, nine of which have no hospitals at all. The lack of resources in these areas is what moved VanDeaver to file HB 18. Freddy Olivarez, CEO of the Medical Arts Hospital in Lamesa, told the committee that his rural hospital struggled to make payroll in September 2024. He said an existing grant program played a large role in allowing the hospital to maintain operations. 'We were facing looking at being the next Texas hospital closed, so that was this grant funding that Chairman VanDeaver—it's amazing for us,' Olivarez said. 'This is what's kept us open right now.' Llano County is fighting to save rural healthcare The bill's strategic initiatives include: The creation of a new State Office of Rural Hospital Finance. The office will create a strategy to ensure that hospitals have the necessary resources to support their patients, create a financial vulnerability index and provide technical assistance to these areas if necessary. The establishment the Texas Rural Hospital Officers Academy. The Academy will offer at least 100 hours of coursework annually related to technical training on matters that impact the financial stability of rural hospitals. The construction a grant program for rural hospitals composed of four grants: The Financial Stabilization Grant: to support the financial stability of hospitals at a moderate or high risk of instability based on their vulnerability index. Emergency Hardship Grant: for hospitals that have experienced a man-made or natural disaster or unforeseen circumstances that might result in facility closures or failure to meet payroll. Innovation Grant: to improve rural facilities and services for pregnant women or women who have recently given birth, individuals under the age of 20, older adults or individuals who are uninsured. Rural Hospital Support Grant: to improve the financial stability and support the long term viability of rural hospitals. Additions to the Health and Safety Code for the new Rural Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program to use telehealth services to identify and assess pediatric patients seeking mental and behavioral health needs. The bill defines a rural community of having a population of 68,750 or less, making 156 Texas counties eligible for these services. Representatives questioned stakeholders on whether the bill's current language is expansive enough to address all issues affecting rural hospitals. 'What is the problem? I think it's a good bill trying to address it, but I'm worried it's not gonna go far enough,' Rep. John Bucy, D-Austin, asked Victoria Grady, who testified as a resource witness from the Health and Human Services Commission. 'I think one of the things that's really important to note about rural communities is they don't want us in their business, and they would like to solve their own problems. And so part of the challenge is having those facilities feel comfortable and confident that they can access resources early on when they're having trouble,' Grady said. She added, 'As much as we're glad to give emergency hardship grants, we really don't want them coming to us at that point.' Rural providers, advocates create plan for Texas Legislature to 'rescue' maternity care system Grady also discussed a variety of issues that affect rural hospitals such as outdated infrastructure, inability to obtain viable equipment, uncompensated care, and complexity when submitting for reimbursement on supplemental payments. The bill was left pending as discussions with stakeholders continue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
