NEWS BRIEFS
2023 HEALTH CARE EDITION
Bill could implicate drug dealers in fentanyl overdose deaths
BY HANNAH NORTON
For and against House Bill 6 could have overdoses listed as homicides if a lethal amount is discovered after an autopsy. For “On behalf of all our family members who have died innocently by taking medication laced with fentanyl, on behalf of all of our friends, we’re here today to tell the people who deal that drug: We’re going to pass a piece of legislation. We’re coming after you.” Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Fort Worth, a sponsor of the bill Against “I know that everyone’s decided how they’re going to vote on this bill, and that’s ne. But what I’m here to do today is speak against the continuation of the drug war and the continuing incarceration of people for drug addiction, instead of providing them the care and help they need to not be addicts.” Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, who voted against the bill
A bill that would increase the criminal penalties for people who manufacture or distribute fentanyl is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. If he signs it, people could be charged with murder if the drug leads to someone’s death. House Bill 6, by Rep. Craig Gold- man, R Fort Worth, would classify fentanyl overdoses as poisonings on death certi cates. After a toxicology report and autopsy, if a medical examiner nds a lethal amount of fentanyl in someone’s system and determines the drug caused their death, they would be required to list “homicide” as the manner of death. Prosecutors could then charge drug dealers with murder for providing the deadly opioid. Texas Harm Reduction Alliance protesters chanted, “No more drug war!” in opposition to the bill.
Members of the American Principles Project create a prayer circle May 2 in Austin when a gender-a rming ban was discussed. (Hannah Norton/Community Impact)
Bill banning transition-related treatment for minors sent to Abbott’s desk for signature
BY HANNAH NORTON
of 18. Doctors who continue to provide these treatments could be stripped of their medical licenses. Children who are currently receiving nonsurgical treatments and attended at least six months of therapy before beginning care will be allowed to continue. Children must be safely weaned o the medications and cannot begin new treatment plans.
A bill that would ban tran- sition-related treatments for
transgender youth has been sent to Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. Senate Bill 14 would prohibit doctors from providing gender-af- rming care—including puber- ty-blocking medication, hormone therapy and gender con rmation surgery—to anyone under the age
State awards county $441K grant for tuberculosis prevention
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease occurring primarily in the lungs that spreads from person to person through the air. Symptoms can include coughing, fevers and chills. Tuberculosis in Texas Texas remains one of the highest states for tuberculosis cases in the country. Fort Bend County averages in the top 10 counties for cases annually. In 2020, Texas represented 12.7% of all tuberculosis cases nationally.
BY DANIEL WEEKS
The Fort Bend County Health and Human Ser- vices Administration identi es tuberculosis as an infectious disease occurring primarily in the lungs but with the ability to a ect any organ. The disease is treatable and preventable but, if left untreated, can cause severe illness or death. According to the county’s Community Health Assessment, the county’s stated objective is to reduce the number of con rmed cases per 100,000 people to 1.4, which would require a reduction by over half the rate.
The Fort Bend County Commissioners Court on May 23 approved a grant to the county’s Tubercu- losis Program, which will be used to support the Clinical Health Service team’s sta and services. The Texas Department of State Health Services grant was $441,791 and will support chest X-rays, CT scans and laboratory services. The county’s Tuberculosis Program works to decrease the disease’s transmission through educa- tion, screening, and treating latent and active cases.
SOURCES: 2020 U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, FORT BEND COUNTY COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SUGAR LAND MISSOURI CITY EDITION • JUNE 2023
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