Medical Decision Making:

HB 353: Relating to certain health care rights of domestic partners.

Primary Author: Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin)

Joint Author: Rep. Ellen Cohen (D-Houston); Rep. Jessica Farrar (D-Houston)

Co-Authors: Rep. Alma Allen (D-Houston); Rep. Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth); Rep. Ana Hernandez (D-Houston)

Background: Would establish authority for domestic partners in medical decision making. Provisions of this comprehensive medical decision making bill include:

Grants a domestic partner status to make decisions, in the absence of the patient's ability, concerning end of life care, medical decision making, hospital visitation, organ donation, disposition of remains, and consent for autopsy;
In an emergency situation, a hospital must accept a good faith representation of the existence of a domestic partnership;
Domestic partnership is one in which the partners agree to a relationship of mutual interdependence and care, maintenance and support;
Visitation rights also apply to the children of a domestic partner.

Committee: Public Health

Actions: 02/17/09 - Referred to Public Health Committee
12/1/08 – Filed

Equality Texas Position: Supports. This bill is part of our Legislative Agenda.

Equality Texas Bill Fact Sheet: Bill Fact Sheet on HB 353 (pdf)

Bill History – Bill History on HB 353

Bill Text – View the bill text

Equality Texas Action Alerts:
No active alerts.