Sec. 313.004. CONSENT FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT.

(a) If an adult patient of a home and community support services agency or in a hospital or nursing home, or an adult inmate of a county or municipal jail, is comatose, incapacitated, or otherwise mentally or physically incapable of communication and does not have a legal guardian or an agent under a medical power of attorney who is reasonably available after a reasonably diligent inquiry, an adult surrogate from the following list, in order of priority, who has decision-making capacity, is reasonably available after a reasonably diligent inquiry, and is willing to consent to medical treatment on behalf of the patient may consent to medical treatment on behalf of the patient:

(1) the patient's spouse;

(2) the patient's adult children;

(3) the patient's parents; or

(4) the patient's nearest living relative.

(a-1) If the patient does not have a legal guardian, an agent under a medical power of attorney, or a person listed in Subsection (a) who is reasonably available after a reasonably diligent inquiry, another physician who is not involved in the medical treatment of the patient may concur with the treatment.

(b) Any dispute as to the right of a party to act as a surrogate decision-maker may be resolved only by a court of record having jurisdiction of proceedings under Title 3, Estates Code.

(c) Any medical treatment consented to under Subsection (a) or concurred with under Subsection (a-1) must be based on knowledge of what the patient would desire, if known.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a surrogate decision-maker may not consent to:

(1) voluntary inpatient mental health services;

(2) electro-convulsive treatment; or

(3) the appointment of another surrogate decision-maker.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the patient is an adult inmate of a county or municipal jail, a surrogate decision-maker may not also consent to:

(1) psychotropic medication;

(2) involuntary inpatient mental health services; or

(3) psychiatric services calculated to restore competency to stand trial.

(f) A person who is an available adult surrogate, as described by Subsection (a), may consent to medical treatment on behalf of a patient who is an adult inmate of a county or municipal jail only for a period that expires on the earlier of the 120th day after the date the person agrees to act as an adult surrogate for the patient or the date the inmate is released from jail. At the conclusion of the period, a successor surrogate may not be appointed and only the patient or the patient's appointed guardian of the person, if the patient is a ward under Title 3, Estates Code, may consent to medical treatment.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 407, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1271 (H.B. 3473), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 253 (H.B. 1128), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 324 (S.B. 1488), Sec. 22.046, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 846 (H.B. 2780), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2019.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 915 (H.B. 3162), Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2023.