Healthcare
Let doctors practice medicine, not abortion!
From USCCB Pro-Life Action Alerts: Do you think that doctors should be forced to perform abortions or “gender transition” procedures against their beliefs? Or that taxpayers should be forced to pay for them? If the answer is NO, please send a comment to the Department of Health and Human Services today! A little background: In…
Read MoreSine Die Report for the 86th Legislature
Sine Die Report on Priority Bills in the 86th Legislative Session Educate: Throughout the 2019 session, we educated and mobilized the laity to take an active role in supporting the bishops’ agenda. Specifically, we have published online briefs—available here—of the topics on our legislative agenda to explain Church teaching and how to improve state law.…
Read MoreSB 2089: Complex bill still needs agreement
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (TCCB) applauds Sen. Bryan Hughes’ wise acceptance of Sen. Eddie Lucio’s amendment to SB 2089. As Sen. Hughes said with this amendment, SB 2089 is now a better piece of legislation and will ensure appropriate care for Texans facing important end-of-life decisions. The improved engrossed SB 2089 now protects…
Read MoreSB 2355: Support reform of hospital ethics committees
Testimony given by Jennifer Allmon The TCCB would like to thank Senator Lucio for filing this bill to require hospitals to adopt and implement policies to prevent financial conflicts of interest and discrimination based on disability. While we support the basic structure of the Texas Advance Directives Act, over the last several years the bishops…
Read MoreSB 2129: Oppose unilateral authority of patients
Testimony given by Jennifer Allmon The Texas Catholic Bishops have worked on advance directives reform in Texas for decades, supporting legislation that respects autonomy and human dignity, both for patients and providers. All human life, no matter how disabled or critically ill, is of quality and incomparable worth and no one is less entitled to…
Read MoreSB 2089: Oppose indefinite medical interventions
Testimony given by Jennifer Allmon The Catholic voice behind the pro-life movement does not view death as the ultimate enemy. We view it through a lens of the inherent sanctity of human life, including life in its final stages, life that is in fact dying. We must oppose the approach taken by this bill. Requiring…
Read MoreHB 995: Alternate agent for medical power of attorney could cause confusion
Michael Barba Associate Director of Public Policy The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops oppose HB 995. Cause for Opposition. On page 6, lines 17-20 HB 995 states: “You may wish to designate an alternate agent in the event that your agent is unwilling, unable, or ineligible to act as your agent. Any alternative agent you designate…
Read MoreProposed rules right long-time wrong
Last week the Department of State Health Services published long overdue draft rules for the humane and dignified disposition of human fetal remains. Support of these rules is something on which people on both sides of the fractious abortion debate can find common ground. Regardless of one’s definition — unborn babies, products of conception, fetuses,…
Read MoreStatement By Texas Catholic Conference On HHS Mandate Ruling
The Texas Catholic Conference today expressed disappointment at the U.S. Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals’ ruling Monday that would force religious institutions to violate their faith. Several Texas dioceses and churches have long objected to provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act that require religious employers to provide health insurance that covers contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortions unless…
Read MoreBishops’ Efforts For Advance Directives Reform Signed Into Texas Law
With the stroke of his pen Governor Greg Abbott capped off several years of public advocacy by Texas Catholics with his signing House Bill 3074 into law. The measure requires the provision of artificial nutrition and hydration for patients who wish it, unless the provision of food and water causes harm to the patient. The…
Read More