The bill, S.B. No. 51, seeks to amend the Health and Safety Code in Texas regarding the regulation of abortion and related matters, particularly focusing on supportive palliative care for infants with lethal fetal anomalies. It introduces new provisions, including Section 142A.0003, which mandates the executive commissioner to establish minimum standards for the delivery of supportive palliative care to affected infants. Additionally, it adds a new exception in Section 170A.002(b-1) that allows for abortion when determined necessary by the pregnant woman's treating physician and another obstetrician due to a lethal fetal anomaly.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a multidisciplinary ethics committee review process for abortions performed after 24 weeks of gestation under Section 170A.0025, ensuring that the physicians involved in the determination are not part of the review committee. It also modifies existing sections to clarify that certain regulations do not apply to abortions performed under the new exceptions and repeals Chapter 6-1/2 of the Revised Statutes, which previously regulated abortion. The bill is set to take effect 91 days after the legislative session concludes.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 171.205, Health and Safety Code 171.206, Health and Safety Code 171.207 (Health and Safety Code 171)