The hospitals of North Texas thank State Senator John Carona (R – Dallas) for introducing Senate Bill 1139 this legislative session. This bill would exempt hospitals from rolling blackouts. In February 2011, North Texas hospitals were subjected to rolling blackouts without prior warning. Our community was lucky no one died, although hospitals had several close calls.

The same laws and regulations exist today as in 2011, with no modifications to address what happened to area hospitals while performing surgery and treating trauma patients. Simply put, we need Senate Bill 1139 enacted into law to protect patients.

The problem is the bill remains in the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce while time is running out. The committee must release Senate Bill 1139 so appropriate discussion, debate and resolution happens in May. This is not about health care reform or the Affordable Care Act. This bill addresses safety for patients treated in hospitals throughout Texas. Patient safety must be our top priority, and we should not be silent on this issue.

We ask each committee member to imagine they are involved in a serious car accident on Interstate 35 and flown by helicopter to one of our North Texas hospitals. Visualize this trauma team working intensely to save your life. They are using critical care equipment as precious minutes of your “Golden Hour” tick away and then…the electricity goes out.

Like trauma teams attempting to work without electricity, action on Senate Bill 1139 cannot be taken until it is released from the committee.

We thank committee members for their public service and efforts on behalf of Texans. For the sake of all Texas patients, let’s roll the “rolling blackouts” bill out of committee.