Bill: SB 404, 85(R) - 2017

Bill Caption

Relating to prohibiting health care practitioners from providing alcoholic beverages to certain persons; imposing an administrative penalty.

Fiscal Notes

From the LBB: No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

This bill would prohibit health care practitioners from giving alcohol to patients or those accompanying the patient and would impose an administrative penalty on health care practitioners who provide alcoholic beverages to patients or those accompanying patients. The bill would not apply to alcohol contained in a drug for treatment. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

The wisdom of drinking alcohol in the waiting area of a doctor's office prior to making medical decisions for one's self or dependent is dubious at best. If medical practitioners are attempting to ply patients or parents of patients with alcohol prior to presenting options for expensive (and possibly unnecessary) medical treatment they should be ashamed of themselves for such a blatant attempt to take advantage of people.

Nonetheless, it is not the proper role of the state to prevent people from making bad decisions for themselves. Individual liberty and limited government must necessarily mean that people are free to make poor decisions even if there are adverse consequences; personal responsibility dictates that they live up to those consequences without asking the state to intervene. For these reasons we oppose SB 404.

Source URL (retrieved on 04/24/2024 10:04 PM): http://reports.texasaction.com/bill/85r/sb404?print_view=true