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HB 2586

AN ACT relating to minimum standards for pregnancy resource centers.

House Bill
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

Establishes minimum standards for pregnancy resource centers in Texas, requiring them to have at least one licensed obstetrician present when providing services and mandating health and safety protocols equivalent to those for ambulatory surgical centers. These centers, which provide pregnancy counseling without performing abortions or offering comprehensive birth control, must now comply with new regulations designed to protect patient health. Centers that fail to meet these standards may face disciplinary action from state regulatory agencies.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to minimum standards for pregnancy resource centers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Subtitle H, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 174 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 174.  PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTERS
Sec. 174.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "pregnancy
resource center" means an organization, including a pregnancy
counseling organization, crisis pregnancy center, pregnancy care
center, and pregnancy support center, that for a fee or free of
charge provides pregnancy counseling or information but:
(1)  does not perform abortions or make referrals to an
(2)  does not provide or make referrals for
comprehensive birth control services;
(3)  is not licensed or certified by this state or the
federal government to provide medical or health care services; and
(4)  is not required to contract with a physician to
provide or directly supervise all health care services provided by
Sec. 174.002.  MINIMUM STANDARDS.  (a)  The executive
commissioner by rule shall prescribe minimum standards for
(b)  The minimum standards must:
(1)  protect the health and safety of a patient of a
(2)  contain provisions equivalent to the requirements
of Subchapter B, Chapter 171, but applicable to the provision of
(3)  contain provisions equivalent to the minimum
standards for ambulatory surgical centers adopted under Section
(c)  Pregnancy resource centers must have present when
providing services to a patient at least one licensed obstetrician
(d)  This section does not authorize the executive
(1)  establish the qualifications of a licensed health
(2)  allow a person to provide medical or health care
services who is not authorized to provide those services under
(e)  A pregnancy resource center or health care practitioner
that violates this section is subject to disciplinary action by the
state agency that regulates the center or practitioner as if the
center or practitioner had violated the applicable licensing law.
SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2026, the executive
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
adopt rules necessary to implement Chapter 174, Health and Safety
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to minimum standards for pregnancy resource centers.