The proposed bill, H.B. No. 3472, aims to establish informed consent requirements for health care services in Texas. It emphasizes the right of individuals lawfully residing in the state to provide or withhold consent for any health care service, including vaccinations. The bill introduces Chapter 174 to the Health and Safety Code, which outlines definitions related to health care facilities, practitioners, and services. It prohibits coercion or compulsion of individuals into obtaining health care services against their preferences and mandates that health care practitioners must obtain informed consent before providing any health care service.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions that protect individuals from adverse actions for refusing health care services and allows for exemptions based on sincerely held religious beliefs or recognized medical conditions. It grants the attorney general the authority to seek injunctive relief against violations of this chapter and establishes civil liability for health care practitioners who fail to comply, with damages set at a minimum of $5,000. The bill is designed to reinforce the principles of informed consent and individual autonomy in health care decisions.

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