By: Naishtat (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 1329
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2015;
May 12, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on State
Affairs; May 21, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the payment of costs incurred by the involuntary
commitment of persons with mental illness.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 571.018(a) and (b), Health and Safety
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The costs for a hearing or proceeding under this
subtitle shall be paid by:
(1) the county in which [that initiates] emergency
detention procedures are initiated under Subchapter A or B, Chapter
573; or
(2) if no emergency detention procedures are
initiated, the county that accepts an application for court-ordered
mental health services, issues an order for protective custody, or
issues an order for temporary mental health services.
(b) The county responsible for the costs of a hearing or
proceeding under Subsection (a) shall pay the costs of all
subsequent hearings or proceedings for that person under this
subtitle until the person is discharged from mental health
services. The county may not pay the costs from any fees collected
under Section 51.704, Government Code. The costs shall be billed by
the clerk of the court conducting the hearings.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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