Title HS, Health and Safety Code

Sec. 166.007. EXECUTION OF ADVANCE DIRECTIVE MAY NOT BE REQUIRED. A physician, health facility, health care provider, insurer, or health care service plan may not require a person to execute or issue an advance directive as a condition for obtaining insurance for health care serv…

Sec. 166.008. CONFLICT BETWEEN ADVANCE DIRECTIVES. To the extent that a treatment decision or an advance directive validly executed or issued under this chapter conflicts with another treatment decision or an advance directive executed or issued under this chapter, the treatment …

Sec. 166.009. CERTAIN LIFE-SUSTAINING TREATMENT NOT REQUIRED. This chapter may not be construed to require the provision of life-sustaining treatment that cannot be provided to a patient without denying the same treatment to another patient. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 450…

Sec. 166.010. APPLICABILITY OF FEDERAL LAW RELATING TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT. This chapter is subject to applicable federal law and regulations relating to child abuse and neglect to the extent applicable to the state based on its receipt of federal funds. Added by Acts 2003, 7…

Sec. 166.011. DIGITAL OR ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE. (a) For an advance directive in which a signature by a declarant, witness, or notary public is required or used, the declarant, witness, or notary public may sign the directive or a written revocation of the directive using: (1) a di…

Sec. 166.031. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Directive" means an instruction made under Section 166.032, 166.034, or 166.035 to administer, withhold, or withdraw life-sustaining treatment in the event of a terminal or irreversible condition. (2) "Qualified patient" means a…

Sec. 166.032. WRITTEN DIRECTIVE BY COMPETENT ADULT; NOTICE TO PHYSICIAN. (a) A competent adult may at any time execute a written directive. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), the declarant must sign the directive in the presence of two witnesses who qualify under Section…

Sec. 166.033. FORM OF WRITTEN DIRECTIVE. A written directive may be in the following form: DIRECTIVE TO PHYSICIANS AND FAMILY OR SURROGATES Instructions for completing this document: This is an important legal document known as an Advance Directive. It is designed to help you com…

Sec. 166.034. ISSUANCE OF NONWRITTEN DIRECTIVE BY COMPETENT ADULT QUALIFIED PATIENT. (a) A competent qualified patient who is an adult may issue a directive by a nonwritten means of communication. (b) A declarant must issue the nonwritten directive in the presence of the attendin…

Sec. 166.035. EXECUTION OF DIRECTIVE ON BEHALF OF PATIENT YOUNGER THAN 18 YEARS OF AGE. The following persons may execute a directive on behalf of a qualified patient who is younger than 18 years of age: (1) the patient's spouse, if the spouse is an adult; (2) the patient's paren…

Sec. 166.036. NOTARIZED DOCUMENT NOT REQUIRED; REQUIREMENT OF SPECIFIC FORM PROHIBITED. (a) Except as provided by Section 166.032(b-1), a written directive executed under Section 166.033 or 166.035 is effective without regard to whether the document has been notarized. (b) A phys…

Sec. 166.037. PATIENT DESIRE SUPERSEDES DIRECTIVE. The desire of a qualified patient, including a qualified patient younger than 18 years of age, supersedes the effect of a directive. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 672.007 and amen…

Sec. 166.038. PROCEDURE WHEN DECLARANT IS INCOMPETENT OR INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) This section applies when an adult qualified patient has executed or issued a directive and is incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication. (b) If the adult qua…

Sec. 166.039. PROCEDURE WHEN PERSON HAS NOT EXECUTED OR ISSUED A DIRECTIVE AND IS INCOMPETENT OR INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) If an adult qualified patient has not executed or issued a directive and is incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication,…

Sec. 166.040. PATIENT CERTIFICATION AND PREREQUISITES FOR COMPLYING WITH DIRECTIVE. (a) An attending physician who has been notified of the existence of a directive shall provide for the declarant's certification as a qualified patient on diagnosis of a terminal or irreversible c…

Sec. 166.041. DURATION OF DIRECTIVE. A directive is effective until it is revoked as prescribed by Section 166.042. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 672.011 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 450, Sec. 1.03, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Sec. 166.042. REVOCATION OF DIRECTIVE. (a) A declarant may revoke a directive at any time without regard to the declarant's mental state or competency. A directive may be revoked by: (1) the declarant or someone in the declarant's presence and at the declarant's direction canceli…

Sec. 166.043. REEXECUTION OF DIRECTIVE. A declarant may at any time reexecute a directive in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Section 166.032, including reexecution after the declarant is diagnosed as having a terminal or irreversible condition. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., …

Sec. 166.044. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR WITHHOLDING OR WITHDRAWING LIFE-SUSTAINING PROCEDURES. (a) A physician or health care facility that causes life-sustaining treatment to be withheld or withdrawn from a qualified patient in accordance with this subchapter is not civilly li…

Sec. 166.0445. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY FOR PERFORMING CERTAIN MEDICAL PROCEDURES. (a) A physician or a health care professional acting under the direction of a physician is not subject to civil liability for participating in a medical procedure performed under Section 166.046(d-2…

Sec. 166.045. LIABILITY FOR FAILURE TO EFFECTUATE DIRECTIVE. (a) A physician, health care facility, or health care professional who has no knowledge of a directive is not civilly or criminally liable for failing to act in accordance with the directive. (b) A physician, or a healt…

Sec. 166.046. PROCEDURE IF NOT EFFECTUATING DIRECTIVE OR TREATMENT DECISION FOR CERTAIN PATIENTS. (a) This section applies only to health care and treatment for a patient who is determined to be incompetent or is otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication. (a-1) …

Sec. 166.0465. ETHICS OR MEDICAL COMMITTEE DECISION RELATED TO PATIENT DISABILITY. (a) In this section, "disability" has the meaning assigned by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in 42 U.S.C. Section 12102. (b) During the review process under Section 166.046(b), the eth…

Sec. 166.047. HONORING DIRECTIVE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OFFENSE OF AIDING SUICIDE. A person does not commit an offense under Section 22.08, Penal Code, by withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from a qualified patient in accordance with this subchapter. Acts 1989, 71s…

Sec. 166.048. CRIMINAL PENALTY; PROSECUTION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally conceals, cancels, defaces, obliterates, or damages another person's directive without that person's consent. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor. (b) A …

Sec. 166.049. PREGNANT PATIENTS. A person may not withdraw or withhold life-sustaining treatment under this subchapter from a pregnant patient. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Sec. 672.019 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 450, Se…

Sec. 166.050. MERCY KILLING NOT CONDONED. This subchapter does not condone, authorize, or approve mercy killing or permit an affirmative or deliberate act or omission to end life except to permit the natural process of dying as provided by this subchapter. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., c…

Sec. 166.051. LEGAL RIGHT OR RESPONSIBILITY NOT AFFECTED. This subchapter does not impair or supersede any legal right or responsibility a person may have to effect the withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment in a lawful manner, provided that if an attending physic…

Sec. 166.052. STATEMENTS EXPLAINING PATIENT'S RIGHT TO TRANSFER. (a) In cases in which the attending physician refuses to honor an advance directive or health care or treatment decision requesting the provision of life-sustaining treatment for a patient who is determined to be in…

Sec. 166.053. REGISTRY TO ASSIST TRANSFERS. (a) The department shall maintain a registry listing the identity of and contact information for health care providers and referral groups, situated inside and outside this state, that have voluntarily notified the department they may c…

Sec. 166.054. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ETHICS OR MEDICAL COMMITTEE PROCESSES. (a) Not later than the 180th day after the date written notice is provided under Section 166.046(b)(1), a health care facility shall prepare and submit to the commission a report that contains t…

Sec. 166.081. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1228, Sec. 8. (2) "DNR identification device" means an identification device specified by department rule under Section 166.101 that is worn for the purpose of identifying a person who has ex…

Sec. 166.082. OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER; DIRECTIVE TO PHYSICIANS. (a) A competent person may at any time execute a written out-of-hospital DNR order directing health care professionals acting in an out-of-hospital setting to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation and certain othe…

Sec. 166.083. FORM OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. (a) A written out-of-hospital DNR order shall be in the standard form specified by department rule as recommended by the department. (b) The standard form of an out-of-hospital DNR order specified by department rule must, at a mini…

Sec. 166.084. ISSUANCE OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER BY NONWRITTEN COMMUNICATION. (a) A competent person who is an adult may issue an out-of-hospital DNR order by nonwritten communication. (b) A declarant must issue the nonwritten out-of-hospital DNR order in the presence of the a…

Sec. 166.085. EXECUTION OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER ON BEHALF OF A MINOR. (a) The following persons may execute an out-of-hospital DNR order on behalf of a minor: (1) the minor's parents; (2) the minor's legal guardian; or (3) the minor's managing conservator. (b) A person liste…

Sec. 166.086. DESIRE OF PERSON SUPERSEDES OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. The desire of a competent person, including a competent minor, supersedes the effect of an out-of-hospital DNR order executed or issued by or on behalf of the person when the desire is communicated to responding…

Sec. 166.087. PROCEDURE WHEN DECLARANT IS INCOMPETENT OR INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) This section applies when a person 18 years of age or older has executed or issued an out-of-hospital DNR order and subsequently becomes incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapa…

Sec. 166.088. PROCEDURE WHEN PERSON HAS NOT EXECUTED OR ISSUED OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER AND IS INCOMPETENT OR INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATION. (a) If an adult person has not executed or issued an out-of-hospital DNR order and is incompetent or otherwise mentally or physically incapab…

Sec. 166.089. COMPLIANCE WITH OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. (a) When responding to a call for assistance, health care professionals shall honor an out-of-hospital DNR order in accordance with the statewide out-of-hospital DNR protocol and, where applicable, locally adopted out-of-ho…

Sec. 166.090. DNR IDENTIFICATION DEVICE. (a) A person who has a valid out-of-hospital DNR order under this subchapter may wear a DNR identification device around the neck or on the wrist as prescribed by department rule adopted under Section 166.101. (b) The presence of a DNR ide…

Sec. 166.091. DURATION OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. An out-of-hospital DNR order is effective until it is revoked as prescribed by Section 166.092. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 965, Sec. 10, eff. June 16, 1995. Renumbered from Sec. 674.011 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Le…

Sec. 166.092. REVOCATION OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. (a) A declarant may revoke an out-of-hospital DNR order at any time without regard to the declarant's mental state or competency. An order may be revoked by: (1) the declarant or someone in the declarant's presence and at the…

Sec. 166.093. REEXECUTION OF OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. A declarant may at any time reexecute or reissue an out-of-hospital DNR order in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Section 166.082, including reexecution or reissuance after the declarant is diagnosed as having a …

Sec. 166.094. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY FOR WITHHOLDING CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION AND CERTAIN OTHER LIFE-SUSTAINING PROCEDURES. (a) A health care professional or health care facility or entity that in good faith causes cardiopulmonary resuscitation or certain other life-sustain…

Sec. 166.095. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY FOR FAILURE TO EFFECTUATE OUT-OF-HOSPITAL DNR ORDER. (a) A health care professional or health care facility or entity that has no actual knowledge of an out-of-hospital DNR order is not civilly or criminally liable for failing to act in accor…