Bill > SB1303

This bill modifies the Texas Family Code to expand the circumstances under which a minor can consent to medical treatment, specifically adding a new provision that allows minors to consent to contraception-related examinations or medical treatment. The bill adds an eighth category to the existing list of situations where a child can provide medical consent, specifically enabling minors to independently seek contraception-related medical services. The bill defines "contraception" as any reversible pregnancy prevention method approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration. This means that teenagers can now receive contraceptive services without parental consent, which could include consultations, examinations, and obtaining contraceptive methods like birth control pills, patches, or other FDA-approved contraceptives. The new provision is part of the existing section of Texas law that outlines various circumstances where minors can make their own medical decisions, such as when they are married, pregnant, in the military, or living separately from their parents. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, giving healthcare providers and institutions time to prepare for the new regulation.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB1303