Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HCR46 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1		-	By: Farias, Guillen (Senate Sponsor - Rodríguez) H.C.R. No. 46
2		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2015;
3		-	May 7, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
4		-	Affairs and Military Installations; May 21, 2015, reported
5		-	favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 21, 2015, sent
6		-	to printer.)
	1	+	H.C.R. No. 46
7	2
8	3
9		-	COMMITTEE VOTE
10		-	YeaNayAbsentPNV
11		-	CampbellX
12		-	BurtonX
13		-	BirdwellX
14		-	GarciaX
15		-	HallX
16		-	LucioX
17		-	RodríguezX
18	4		HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
19	5		WHEREAS, Citizens of the United States owe an incalculable
20	6		debt to the nation's military personnel, who have served so
21	7		valiantly and sacrificed so much in this country's behalf; and
22	8		WHEREAS, The current U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
23	9		policy of suspending hospital and outpatient care services to
24	10		incarcerated veterans is especially detrimental to those
25	11		individuals in need of mental health care; some of these men and
26	12		women are committed to the state hospitals awaiting restoration of
27	13		competency in order to stand trial, and the scarcity of timely
28	14		access to services in these facilities can prolong their detention;
29	15		and
30	16		WHEREAS, Veterans suffer disproportionately from
31	17		post-traumatic stress disorder, which is often worsened by
32	18		incarceration and can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts and
33	19		actions, and incarcerated veterans too often lack access to
34	20		treatment for this condition; and
35	21		WHEREAS, Improved coordination between the VA and state and
36	22		local jurisdictions would enable eligible veterans to continue to
37	23		receive mental health care and other VA services; in addition, VA
38	24		reimbursement provided to secure mental health facilities for
39	25		forensic beds and services would ensure better medical treatment
40	26		for veterans and help alleviate the legal delays frequently
41	27		experienced by incarcerated veterans with mental health issues; and
42	28		WHEREAS, Veterans of the U.S. armed forces have earned the
43	29		lasting gratitude of all Americans for their devotion to duty, and
44	30		they are deserving of prompt and compassionate assistance in their
45	31		time of need; now, therefore, be it
46	32		RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
47	33		hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to
48	34		require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide VA
49	35		services to veterans on forensic commitments at state hospitals;
50	36		and, be it further
51	37		RESOLVED, That Congress consider expanding such services to
52	38		all incarcerated veterans; and, be it further
53	39		RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
54	40		copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
55	41		the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
56	42		Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
57	43		members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
58	44		this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
59	45		memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
60		-	* * * * *
	46	+	Farias
	47	+	Guillen
	48	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	49	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	50	+	I certify that H.C.R. No. 46 was adopted by the House on April
	51	+	30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 1 present, not
	52	+	voting.
	53	+	______________________________
	54	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	55	+	I certify that H.C.R. No. 46 was adopted by the Senate on May
	56	+	26, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	57	+	______________________________
	58	+	Secretary of the Senate
	59	+	APPROVED: __________________
	60	+	Date
	61	+	__________________
	62	+	Governor