Patient Advocacy Bill
Senate version: SB 761 by Senator Jane Nelson
House version: HB 1362 by Representatives Donna Howard and Susan King
The Patient Advocacy bill also reflects the work of the Texas Nurses Association's task force. But rather than addressing the reporting of nurses, it addresses nurses reporting patient safety concerns (whistleblower protections) and the environment needed to encourage such reporting.
While Texas has significant protections for nurses advocating for patients, those protections have been enacted incrementally over the past 20 years and current law is not easy for nurses to read and understand what their patient advocacy rights and protections are. The goal of this legislation is to consolidate and restate in a clearer and more understandable way the patient advocacy and whistleblower protections provided nurses when raising patient care concerns or advocating for patients, and the remedies available if they are retaliated against because of that advocacy. To provide the best possible patient care, it is crucial that nurses are able to raise patient care concerns and advocate for their patients without fear of retaliation. It is important that the law not only provides this protection but also that nurses understand what these protections are. This legislation should accomplish this.
Current Status of Legislation: Patient Advocacy Bills
SB 761 by Nelson had a hearing in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on 3/19/07, has been reported favorably from committee and set on the Local/Uncontested Calendar in the Senate for Wednesday March 28th. The next step is to be voted on by the full Senate and the fact that it went to the Local/Uncontested Calendar means it will almost certainly be passed by the Senate.
HB 1362 by Howard & King has been referred to the House Public Health Committee, but has not had a hearing. The next step is for it to receive a hearing. If SB 761 is passed by the Senate, SB 761 will be substituted for the House bill.