The Texas Legislature reconvenes for its 78th regular session January 14th through June 2nd.

For more information or to receive updates on these bills as they move through the Legislature, visit the Texas Legislature online.

SB 12 (Medical Liability Reform Act): Places a cap on non-economic damages in medical liability lawsuits at $250,000; reduces attorney contingency fees; gives juries information about claimant revenue from collateral sources such as social security and disability pay. No limits on awards for medical care, lost wages and other economic damages.

SB 104 (Reducing Medical Errors): Empowers the State Board of Medical Examiners to more efficiently and effectively deal with medical errors and allows the Board to proactively intervene with physicians at risk of committing those errors. Also adds measures to immediately suspend licenses of individuals who commit serious crimes.

SB 156 (Ban Human Cloning): Makes attempts to clone a human baby a first degree felony punishable by 5 to 99 years in prison and civil penalties of up to $10 million.

SB 158 (Charitable Immunity): Extends lawsuit immunity to physicians, nurses and health care providers who provide charitable health care.

SB 159 (Standardized Physician Contracts): Provides consistency in the contracts between health care providers and insurers.

SB 160 (Organ Donation & Education): Promotes voluntary organ donation in Texas and calls for the Texas Department of Health to develop a fair organ distribution system.

SB 162 (TDH Facilities Bill): Allows the Texas Department of Health the option to place on probation facilities with deficiencies.

SB 173 (Tax Assistance for Military Families): Builds on a law that extended to individuals serving in Desert Storm a grace period for which to pay their property tax bills without penalty.

SB 174 (Marriage License Privacy): Allows couples to make confidential individually identifiable information on the applications for a Texas marriage license, such as Social Security numbers, date of birth and other sensitive data.

SB 176 (Domestic Violence Prevention): Makes domestic offenders who interfere with emergency calls subject to a Class A Misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and/or a fine of up to $4,000.

SB 330 (Medical Privacy): Preserves the ability of the medical research community to obtain information vital in their efforts to produce new therapies.

Committee Assignments

Health & Human Services, Chair

Sunset Advisory Commission, Chair

Finance

State Affairs

International Relations & Trade

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© 2003 Senator Jane Nelson.
Paid Pol. Adv. by Friends of Senator Jane Nelson.
Jim Nelson, Treasurer, P.O. Box 270389, Flower Mound, TX 75027

Honorary Campaign Chairman, U.S. Senator Phil Gramm
Campaign Headquarters: (972) 724-0210, E-mail jane@janenelson.org