| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a pilot program to educate nursing home residents about |
|
|
advance care planning. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. ADVANCE CARE PLANNING PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
|
|
Department of Aging and Disability Services shall develop and |
|
|
implement a pilot program to increase the use of advance directives |
|
|
by nursing home residents in this state by educating the residents |
|
|
about advance care planning. |
|
|
(b) The pilot program shall provide for a process to educate |
|
|
nursing home residents regarding: |
|
|
(1) the legal issues associated with advance |
|
|
directives; |
|
|
(2) the health care choices available to a person with |
|
|
a terminal or irreversible condition; |
|
|
(3) the proper completion of advance directives; and |
|
|
(4) the importance of discussing advance directives |
|
|
with family, friends, advisers, and health care providers. |
|
|
SECTION 2. RULES. The executive commissioner of the Health |
|
|
and Human Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement this |
|
|
Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than October 1, 2010, the |
|
|
Department of Aging and Disability Services shall submit a report |
|
|
to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives, and the appropriate standing committees of the |
|
|
legislature, regarding the pilot program that includes: |
|
|
(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot |
|
|
program; and |
|
|
(2) a recommendation to continue, expand, or eliminate |
|
|
the pilot program. |
|
|
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2011. |
|
|
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2007. |