HB 1984
AN ACT relating to creating the criminal offense of misrepresenting
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
This law creates a criminal offense for knowingly misrepresenting the medical history of a child, elderly, or disabled individual to a healthcare provider with the intent to obtain unnecessary medical treatment. If the misrepresentation leads to physical or mental harm to the vulnerable individual, the offender can be charged with a third-degree felony. The law aims to protect vulnerable populations from medical exploitation and unnecessary treatments that could cause them injury or impairment.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to creating the criminal offense of misrepresenting medical history to obtain unnecessary medical treatment for a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as Alyssa's Law. SECTION 2. Chapter 22, Penal Code, is amended by adding Section 22.042 to read as follows: Sec. 22.042. MISREPRESENTING MEDICAL HISTORY TO OBTAIN UNNECESSARY MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CHILD, ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL, OR DISABLED INDIVIDUAL. (a) In this section: (1) "Child" means a person younger than 18 years of (2) "Disabled individual" and "elderly individual" have the meanings assigned by Section 22.04. (3) "Health care institution or provider" means a health care institution or a health care provider, as those terms are defined by Section 74.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, or an affiliate, as defined by that section, of a health care institution or health care provider. (4) "Medical history" means any oral, written, or electronic communication regarding an individual's current or previous symptoms, diagnoses, or family medical history. The term does not include a communication regarding an individual's (b) A person commits an offense if: (1) the person knowingly misrepresents the medical history of a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual to a health care institution or provider with the intent to obtain unnecessary medical treatment for the child, elderly individual, or (2) the unnecessary medical treatment for the child, elderly individual, or disabled individual obtained by misrepresentation under Subdivision (1) causes the child, elderly individual, or disabled individual to suffer: (B) mental deficiency, impairment, or injury. (c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Aging and related subject areas.
Gavin L. Massingill
Allen E. Blakemore
Erika Ramirez
Brianna M. Menard
Jennifer Allmon
Ky Ash
Felix Chevalier
James W. Mathis
Colby Reed Nichols
Elizabeth Hadley
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to creating the criminal offense of misrepresenting
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