Texas Democratic lawmakers considering bill to provide information on maternal deaths

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Right now, the state legislature is considering bills that would help provide more information about maternal deaths and instances where women almost died in pregnancy and childbirth in Texas.

The state maternal mortality review committee examines these cases, except when abortion is involved. They also are prohibited from identifying or interviewing medical staff or family members involved. The committee and some Democratic legislators want that information revealed to help get a fuller picture of how and why mothers are dying. Some bills would also rejoin Texas to the federal system that tracks these deaths.

Eleanor Klibanoff is a women's health reporter with ABC13's news partners at the Texas Tribune. She joined Eyewitness News and said none of these bills have a committee hearing scheduled yet. It's also not clear if Republicans will make maternal health a priority this session.

"There's certainly been a lot more tension and a lot more attention here in Texas on whether this board is politicized," Klibanoff said. "With this attention on maternal health and the impact of abortion bans, advocates worry that the government doesn't want to portray the full picture to the public."

Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons (D-Houston) has introduced "Tomara's Bill" and told Klibanoff it's named after her sorority sister, who died shortly after childbirth. The bill, if passed, would allow the committee to review a larger swath of deaths to determine whether they qualify as pregnancy-related.

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