Bill Text: TX HB2729 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to in-person visitation of an immediate family member or religious counsel with seriously ill or dying hospital patients and facility residents.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-17 - Referred to Public Health [HB2729 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB2729-Introduced.html
| 87R8399 SRA-D | ||
| By: Slaton | H.B. No. 2729 | |
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| relating to in-person visitation of an immediate family member or | ||
| religious counsel with seriously ill or dying hospital patients and | ||
| facility residents. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 241, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 241.012 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 241.012. IN-PERSON VISITATION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY | ||
| MEMBER OR RELIGIOUS COUNSEL. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Immediate family member" means an individual who | ||
| is related to a person within the second degree by affinity or | ||
| consanguinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code. | ||
| (2) "Religious counsel" means an individual acting | ||
| substantially in a pastoral or religious capacity to counsel other | ||
| individuals. | ||
| (b) A hospital may not prohibit in-person visitation, | ||
| including visitation during a state of disaster declared under | ||
| Chapter 418, Government Code, of the following individuals with a | ||
| patient at the hospital who is seriously ill or dying: | ||
| (1) an immediate family member of the patient; or | ||
| (2) religious counsel. | ||
| (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a hospital may require | ||
| the immediate family member or religious counsel to: | ||
| (1) submit to a health screening administered by the | ||
| hospital; and | ||
| (2) wear personal protective equipment at all times | ||
| while visiting a patient at the hospital. | ||
| (d) In the event of a conflict between this section and any | ||
| other law, this section prevails. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter L, Chapter 242, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 242.506 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 242.506. IN-PERSON VISITATION OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY | ||
| MEMBER OR RELIGIOUS COUNSEL. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Immediate family member" means an individual who | ||
| is related to a person within the second degree by affinity or | ||
| consanguinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code. | ||
| (2) "Religious counsel" means an individual acting | ||
| substantially in a pastoral or religious capacity to counsel other | ||
| individuals. | ||
| (b) A facility may not prohibit in-person visitation, | ||
| including visitation during a state of disaster declared under | ||
| Chapter 418, Government Code, of the following individuals with a | ||
| resident of the facility who is seriously ill or dying: | ||
| (1) an immediate family member of the patient; or | ||
| (2) religious counsel. | ||
| (c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a facility may require | ||
| the immediate family member or religious counsel to: | ||
| (1) submit to a health screening administered by the | ||
| facility; and | ||
| (2) wear personal protective equipment at all times | ||
| while visiting a resident at the facility. | ||
| (d) In the event of a conflict between this section and any | ||
| other law, this section prevails. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
