Texas Senate Committee advances bill to protect patients from anti-Life 10-Day Rule

The Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services voted Senate Bill 2089 out of committee by a vote of 5-2 today.  This priority Pro-Life bill by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would repeal the unethical 10-Day Rule, which allows hospitals to pull the plug on patients against their will.  SB 2089 now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

Earlier in April, the committee heard family after family share their heart-wrenching stories of loved ones who were victimized by the 10-Day Rule, whose deaths were hastened against their expressed medical decisions.  Such families included Evelyn Kelly, who spoke passionately about successfully protecting her son Chris Dunn after being notified that his care would be forcibly withdrawn two days before Thanksgiving. Sandra Hollier similarly recounted that while the health of her 4-year-old son, Clifton, had improved, his ventilator was still removed despite her protests, and Clifton suffocated to death, dying in her arms.

Being Pro-Life includes standing for patients’ rights, and this bill would reform the current draconian provision of the Texas Advance Directives Act (Chapter 166.046 of the Texas Health and Safety Code).  A coalition of 26 national and statewide leaders back the life-saving reform, recognizing that current law deprives hospitalized patients of due process.

Texas Right to Life thanks Senator Bryan Hughes for carrying this bill in the 86th Texas Legislature, and thanks Chairwoman Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) for addressing this pressing issue and voting SB 2089 out of her committee today.  We look forward to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick bringing SB 2089 to the Senate floor for a vote very soon.