The Perinatal Palliative Care Act aims to ensure that pregnant women whose unborn children are diagnosed with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions are informed about the availability of perinatal palliative care. The bill introduces a new subchapter to the Health and Safety Code, which defines perinatal palliative care and outlines the responsibilities of healthcare providers. Specifically, healthcare providers must provide informational materials about perinatal palliative care and a list of available providers at the time of diagnosis. Additionally, they are required to obtain a signed certification form from the pregnant woman, which must be kept in her medical records.

The bill also establishes a framework for complaints and disciplinary actions against healthcare providers who fail to comply with these requirements. If a provider does not provide the necessary information, the pregnant woman can file a complaint with the commission. The state licensing agency will then take disciplinary action, which may include issuing a warning for initial violations and imposing a $1,000 administrative penalty for subsequent violations. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()
Senate Committee Report: ()
Engrossed: ()
House Committee Report: ()