End-of-Life

Last Updated: 6/28/15

HB 3074 passed the legislature and was signed into law by the Governor! This is a major pro-life victory that has been in than making for more than 10 years.

Please urge your Texas state senator to support HB 3074 to require physicians to provide their patients with food and water if the patient or her/his surrogate request it.

House Bill 3074 would ensure patients are not starved or dehydrated by requiring artificially administered nutrition and hydration (AANH) be provided to the patient so long as it is not causing more harm. Under HB 3074, even if the ethics review committee finds that extraordinary life-sustaining treatment is no longer appropriate, the doctor would still have to provide AANH or face civil or criminal liability for wrongful death or injury of the patient.

Read a one page summary of the bill

Pro-life Texas State Rep. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) is authoring this excellent bill to protect vulnerable patients at the end of life. Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) is sponsoring this priority bill in the Senate.

If you know someone who was a victim of starvation or dehydration against their will, please contact Texas Alliance for Life board member Terry Williams.

SAMPLE MESSAGE: Please contact your senator as soon as possible. Use your own words.

 

Find my senator

Phone

“Hello, my name is (name). I live at (address). Please ask Senator _____ to support House Bill 3074 to require physicians to provide their patients with food and water if the patient or her/his surrogate request it. Thank you.”

Email

The Honorable ________ 
State Senator, District __

Dear Senator _____:

I urge you to support House Bill 3074 to require physicians to provide their patients with food and water if the patient or her/his surrogate request it. Thank you.

Your name

Your address

Please let us know you’ve contacted your senator.

 

BACKGROUND

Please contact and urge your Texas state senator to support HB 3074, especially if he or she is a member of the Senate Health and Human Services committee.

HB 3074, by pro-life Rep. Drew Springer, would ensure patients are not starved or dehydrated by requiring AANH be provided to the patient so long as it is not causing more harm. Under HB 3074, even if the ethics review committee finds that extraordinary life-sustaining treatment is no longer appropriate, the doctor would still have to provide AANH or face civil or criminal liability for wrongful death or injury of the patient.

SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) (Chair)
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) (Vice Chair)
Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels)
Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls)
Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
Sen. José Rodríguez (D-El Paso)
Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano)
Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)
Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo)

 

RESOURCES

The House State Affairs Committee met on Wed., April 15, and considered this bill for more than three hours. You can watch the hearing here (4:40:30 to 7:46:15).

Here are several resources:

Leg. ad. paid for by Texas Alliance for Life