Texas 2017 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2898 House Committee Report / Analysis

Filed 02/02/2025

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                    BILL ANALYSIS             H.B. 2898     By: Gonzales, Larry     Public Health     Committee Report (Unamended)             BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE    The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners license and regulate occupations that provide mental and behavioral health care in Texas. These boards are subject to the Texas Sunset Act and will be abolished on September 1, 2017, unless continued by the legislature. H.B. 2898 seeks to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and consolidate each board, as well as the Council on Sex Offender Treatment and the regulation of chemical dependency counselors, under the executive council. The bill also seeks to make several other statutory modifications recommended by the Sunset Advisory Commission.       CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT   It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.       RULEMAKING AUTHORITY    It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council in SECTIONS 1.001, 2.039, and 2.044 of this bill.       ANALYSIS    H.B. 2898 amends the Occupations Code to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, subject the executive council to the Texas Sunset Act, and provide for the composition, operation, and duties of the executive council. The bill requires the executive council to administer and enforce statutory provisions relating to sex offender treatment, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, chemical dependency counselors, and social workers. The bill establishes the executive council's rulemaking authority and procedures for disciplinary action.    H.B. 2898 transfers powers and duties, including rulemaking, from the applicable agencies for the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations to the executive council: from the Council on Sex Offender Treatment for sex offender treatment providers; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for psychologists, psychological associates, and licensed specialists in school psychology; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for marriage and family therapists; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors for professional counselors; from the Department of State Health Services and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for chemical dependency counselors; and from the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners for social workers, including establishing specialty areas. The bill revises statutory provisions relating to the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations. The bill requires the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to propose a schedule of sanctions for violations of applicable statutes or rules and to propose rules to the executive council regarding the qualifications necessary to obtain a license, the scope of practice of and standards of care and ethical practice for the applicable profession, and continuing education requirements for license holders. The bill repeals statutory provisions subjecting the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to the Texas Sunset Act. The bill provides for the enactment of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact and sets out the provisions of the compact. The bill requires the executive council to establish an advisory board to provide advice and recommendations to the executive council on technical matters relevant to the administration of statutory provisions governing the licensure of chemical dependency counselors and exempts the advisory board from state law governing state agency advisory committees.    H.B. 2898 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Human Resources Code, Insurance Code, and Occupations Code to make changes to reflect the transfer of licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations under the bill's provisions, including by revising the composition of certain committees or councils and the list of entities subject to certain requirements.    H.B. 2898 establishes the applicability of training requirements under the bill's provisions to applicable council or board members appointed before on, or, after the bill's effective date, requires the appropriate appointing entities to appoint members of the executive council not later than December 1, 2017, and sets out requirements for initial appointments. The bill establishes the Texas Behavioral Health Incubation Task Force to assist in the establishment of and transfer of regulatory programs to the executive council and provides for the composition and duties of the task force. The bill requires the executive council to hire an executive director not later than April 1, 2018, and to adopt procedural rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions relating to the executive council not later than July 31, 2018. The bill sets out requirements for a transition plan to provide for the orderly transfer of powers, duties, functions, programs, including certain full-time equivalent employee positions, and activities under the bill's provisions.   H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Government Code:          Section 411.1105          Section 411.1388   H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Occupations Code:          Section 110.001(3-a)           Subchapter C, Chapter 110           Section 110.157           Section 110.159           Subchapter F, Chapter 110           Section 110.307           Section 110.308           Section 110.352           Section 110.353           Section 110.354           Subchapter J, Chapter 110           Section 501.002(3)           Section 501.005           Subchapter C, Chapter 501           Sections 501.151(a) and (b)           Section 501.152           Section 501.156           Section 501.157           Section 501.160           Section 501.161           Section 501.162           Subchapter E, Chapter 501           Sections 501.252(b), (c), and (d)           Section 501.254           Sections 501.256(e), (f), and (g)           Section 501.2561           Section 501.257           Section 501.258           Section 501.261(b)           Section 501.302           Section 501.303           Section 501.304           Section 501.402           Section 501.403           Section 501.404           Section 501.405           Section 501.406           Section 501.409           Section 501.410           Subchapter J, Chapter 501           Section 501.501           Section 501.502           Section 501.504           Section 502.002(3)           Section 502.003           Subchapter C, Chapter 502           Section 502.152           Section 502.153           Section 502.154           Section 502.156           Section 502.1565           Section 502.158           Section 502.161           Section 502.162           Section 502.163           Subchapter E, Chapter 502           Section 502.255           Section 502.256           Sections 502.301(b), (c), (d), and (e)           Section 502.302           Section 502.303           Section 502.352           Section 502.353           Section 502.354           Section 502.355           Section 502.356           Subchapter I, Chapter 502           Section 502.451           Section 502.452           Section 502.453           Section 502.455           Section 503.005           Subchapter D, Chapter 503           Section 503.202           Section 503.203           Section 503.204           Section 503.2045           Section 503.205           Section 503.209           Section 503.210           Section 503.211           Subchapter F, Chapter 503           Section 503.306           Section 503.307           Section 503.354           Section 503.355           Section 503.356           Sections 503.401(b), (c), and (d)           Section 503.402           Section 503.403           Section 503.404           Section 503.405           Section 503.406           Section 503.451           Section 503.454           Subchapter K, Chapter 503           Sections 504.001(5) and (7)           Section 504.0515           Section 504.053           Section 504.054           Section 504.056           Subchapter C, Chapter 504           Section 504.157           Section 504.161           Section 504.203           Section 504.204           Section 504.205(a)           Section 504.252          Sections 504.2525(b) and (c)           Section 504.253           Section 504.254           Subchapter G, Chapter 504           Subchapter H, Chapter 504           Section 505.005           Section 505.110           Subchapter C, Chapter 505           Section 505.202           Section 505.203           Section 505.204           Section 505.209           Section 505.210           Section 505.211           Subchapter E, Chapter 505           Section 505.355           Section 505.356           Section 505.402           Section 505.403           Section 505.404           Section 505.452           Section 505.453           Section 505.454(b)           Section 505.455           Section 505.456           Section 505.457           Section 505.501           Section 505.503           Section 505.504           Section 505.508           Subchapter K, Chapter 505       EFFECTIVE DATE    September 1, 2017.           

BILL ANALYSIS

# BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

H.B. 2898
By: Gonzales, Larry
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)

H.B. 2898

By: Gonzales, Larry

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE    The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners license and regulate occupations that provide mental and behavioral health care in Texas. These boards are subject to the Texas Sunset Act and will be abolished on September 1, 2017, unless continued by the legislature. H.B. 2898 seeks to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and consolidate each board, as well as the Council on Sex Offender Treatment and the regulation of chemical dependency counselors, under the executive council. The bill also seeks to make several other statutory modifications recommended by the Sunset Advisory Commission.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT   It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY    It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council in SECTIONS 1.001, 2.039, and 2.044 of this bill.
ANALYSIS    H.B. 2898 amends the Occupations Code to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, subject the executive council to the Texas Sunset Act, and provide for the composition, operation, and duties of the executive council. The bill requires the executive council to administer and enforce statutory provisions relating to sex offender treatment, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, chemical dependency counselors, and social workers. The bill establishes the executive council's rulemaking authority and procedures for disciplinary action.    H.B. 2898 transfers powers and duties, including rulemaking, from the applicable agencies for the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations to the executive council: from the Council on Sex Offender Treatment for sex offender treatment providers; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for psychologists, psychological associates, and licensed specialists in school psychology; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for marriage and family therapists; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors for professional counselors; from the Department of State Health Services and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for chemical dependency counselors; and from the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners for social workers, including establishing specialty areas. The bill revises statutory provisions relating to the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations. The bill requires the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to propose a schedule of sanctions for violations of applicable statutes or rules and to propose rules to the executive council regarding the qualifications necessary to obtain a license, the scope of practice of and standards of care and ethical practice for the applicable profession, and continuing education requirements for license holders. The bill repeals statutory provisions subjecting the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to the Texas Sunset Act. The bill provides for the enactment of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact and sets out the provisions of the compact. The bill requires the executive council to establish an advisory board to provide advice and recommendations to the executive council on technical matters relevant to the administration of statutory provisions governing the licensure of chemical dependency counselors and exempts the advisory board from state law governing state agency advisory committees.    H.B. 2898 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Human Resources Code, Insurance Code, and Occupations Code to make changes to reflect the transfer of licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations under the bill's provisions, including by revising the composition of certain committees or councils and the list of entities subject to certain requirements.    H.B. 2898 establishes the applicability of training requirements under the bill's provisions to applicable council or board members appointed before on, or, after the bill's effective date, requires the appropriate appointing entities to appoint members of the executive council not later than December 1, 2017, and sets out requirements for initial appointments. The bill establishes the Texas Behavioral Health Incubation Task Force to assist in the establishment of and transfer of regulatory programs to the executive council and provides for the composition and duties of the task force. The bill requires the executive council to hire an executive director not later than April 1, 2018, and to adopt procedural rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions relating to the executive council not later than July 31, 2018. The bill sets out requirements for a transition plan to provide for the orderly transfer of powers, duties, functions, programs, including certain full-time equivalent employee positions, and activities under the bill's provisions.   H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Government Code:          Section 411.1105          Section 411.1388   H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Occupations Code:          Section 110.001(3-a)           Subchapter C, Chapter 110           Section 110.157           Section 110.159           Subchapter F, Chapter 110           Section 110.307           Section 110.308           Section 110.352           Section 110.353           Section 110.354           Subchapter J, Chapter 110           Section 501.002(3)           Section 501.005           Subchapter C, Chapter 501           Sections 501.151(a) and (b)           Section 501.152           Section 501.156           Section 501.157           Section 501.160           Section 501.161           Section 501.162           Subchapter E, Chapter 501           Sections 501.252(b), (c), and (d)           Section 501.254           Sections 501.256(e), (f), and (g)           Section 501.2561           Section 501.257           Section 501.258           Section 501.261(b)           Section 501.302           Section 501.303           Section 501.304           Section 501.402           Section 501.403           Section 501.404           Section 501.405           Section 501.406           Section 501.409           Section 501.410           Subchapter J, Chapter 501           Section 501.501           Section 501.502           Section 501.504           Section 502.002(3)           Section 502.003           Subchapter C, Chapter 502           Section 502.152           Section 502.153           Section 502.154           Section 502.156           Section 502.1565           Section 502.158           Section 502.161           Section 502.162           Section 502.163           Subchapter E, Chapter 502           Section 502.255           Section 502.256           Sections 502.301(b), (c), (d), and (e)           Section 502.302           Section 502.303           Section 502.352           Section 502.353           Section 502.354           Section 502.355           Section 502.356           Subchapter I, Chapter 502           Section 502.451           Section 502.452           Section 502.453           Section 502.455           Section 503.005           Subchapter D, Chapter 503           Section 503.202           Section 503.203           Section 503.204           Section 503.2045           Section 503.205           Section 503.209           Section 503.210           Section 503.211           Subchapter F, Chapter 503           Section 503.306           Section 503.307           Section 503.354           Section 503.355           Section 503.356           Sections 503.401(b), (c), and (d)           Section 503.402           Section 503.403           Section 503.404           Section 503.405           Section 503.406           Section 503.451           Section 503.454           Subchapter K, Chapter 503           Sections 504.001(5) and (7)           Section 504.0515           Section 504.053           Section 504.054           Section 504.056           Subchapter C, Chapter 504           Section 504.157           Section 504.161           Section 504.203           Section 504.204           Section 504.205(a)           Section 504.252          Sections 504.2525(b) and (c)           Section 504.253           Section 504.254           Subchapter G, Chapter 504           Subchapter H, Chapter 504           Section 505.005           Section 505.110           Subchapter C, Chapter 505           Section 505.202           Section 505.203           Section 505.204           Section 505.209           Section 505.210           Section 505.211           Subchapter E, Chapter 505           Section 505.355           Section 505.356           Section 505.402           Section 505.403           Section 505.404           Section 505.452           Section 505.453           Section 505.454(b)           Section 505.455           Section 505.456           Section 505.457           Section 505.501           Section 505.503           Section 505.504           Section 505.508           Subchapter K, Chapter 505
EFFECTIVE DATE    September 1, 2017.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

 

The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners license and regulate occupations that provide mental and behavioral health care in Texas. These boards are subject to the Texas Sunset Act and will be abolished on September 1, 2017, unless continued by the legislature. H.B. 2898 seeks to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and consolidate each board, as well as the Council on Sex Offender Treatment and the regulation of chemical dependency counselors, under the executive council. The bill also seeks to make several other statutory modifications recommended by the Sunset Advisory Commission.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY 

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council in SECTIONS 1.001, 2.039, and 2.044 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS 

 

H.B. 2898 amends the Occupations Code to create the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, subject the executive council to the Texas Sunset Act, and provide for the composition, operation, and duties of the executive council. The bill requires the executive council to administer and enforce statutory provisions relating to sex offender treatment, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed professional counselors, chemical dependency counselors, and social workers. The bill establishes the executive council's rulemaking authority and procedures for disciplinary action. 

 

H.B. 2898 transfers powers and duties, including rulemaking, from the applicable agencies for the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations to the executive council: from the Council on Sex Offender Treatment for sex offender treatment providers; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists for psychologists, psychological associates, and licensed specialists in school psychology; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for marriage and family therapists; from the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors for professional counselors; from the Department of State Health Services and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission for chemical dependency counselors; and from the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners for social workers, including establishing specialty areas. The bill revises statutory provisions relating to the licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations. The bill requires the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to propose a schedule of sanctions for violations of applicable statutes or rules and to propose rules to the executive council regarding the qualifications necessary to obtain a license, the scope of practice of and standards of care and ethical practice for the applicable profession, and continuing education requirements for license holders. The bill repeals statutory provisions subjecting the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners to the Texas Sunset Act. The bill provides for the enactment of the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact and sets out the provisions of the compact. The bill requires the executive council to establish an advisory board to provide advice and recommendations to the executive council on technical matters relevant to the administration of statutory provisions governing the licensure of chemical dependency counselors and exempts the advisory board from state law governing state agency advisory committees. 

 

H.B. 2898 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Human Resources Code, Insurance Code, and Occupations Code to make changes to reflect the transfer of licensing and regulation of certain mental and behavior health occupations under the bill's provisions, including by revising the composition of certain committees or councils and the list of entities subject to certain requirements. 

 

H.B. 2898 establishes the applicability of training requirements under the bill's provisions to applicable council or board members appointed before on, or, after the bill's effective date, requires the appropriate appointing entities to appoint members of the executive council not later than December 1, 2017, and sets out requirements for initial appointments. The bill establishes the Texas Behavioral Health Incubation Task Force to assist in the establishment of and transfer of regulatory programs to the executive council and provides for the composition and duties of the task force. The bill requires the executive council to hire an executive director not later than April 1, 2018, and to adopt procedural rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions relating to the executive council not later than July 31, 2018. The bill sets out requirements for a transition plan to provide for the orderly transfer of powers, duties, functions, programs, including certain full-time equivalent employee positions, and activities under the bill's provisions.

 

H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Government Code:

         Section 411.1105

         Section 411.1388

 

H.B. 2898 repeals the following provisions of the Occupations Code:

         Section 110.001(3-a) 

         Subchapter C, Chapter 110 

         Section 110.157 

         Section 110.159 

         Subchapter F, Chapter 110 

         Section 110.307 

         Section 110.308 

         Section 110.352 

         Section 110.353 

         Section 110.354 

         Subchapter J, Chapter 110 

         Section 501.002(3) 

         Section 501.005 

         Subchapter C, Chapter 501 

         Sections 501.151(a) and (b) 

         Section 501.152 

         Section 501.156 

         Section 501.157 

         Section 501.160 

         Section 501.161 

         Section 501.162 

         Subchapter E, Chapter 501 

         Sections 501.252(b), (c), and (d) 

         Section 501.254 

         Sections 501.256(e), (f), and (g) 

         Section 501.2561 

         Section 501.257 

         Section 501.258 

         Section 501.261(b) 

         Section 501.302 

         Section 501.303 

         Section 501.304 

         Section 501.402 

         Section 501.403 

         Section 501.404 

         Section 501.405 

         Section 501.406 

         Section 501.409 

         Section 501.410 

         Subchapter J, Chapter 501 

         Section 501.501 

         Section 501.502 

         Section 501.504 

         Section 502.002(3) 

         Section 502.003 

         Subchapter C, Chapter 502 

         Section 502.152 

         Section 502.153 

         Section 502.154 

         Section 502.156 

         Section 502.1565 

         Section 502.158 

         Section 502.161 

         Section 502.162 

         Section 502.163 

         Subchapter E, Chapter 502 

         Section 502.255 

         Section 502.256 

         Sections 502.301(b), (c), (d), and (e) 

         Section 502.302 

         Section 502.303 

         Section 502.352 

         Section 502.353 

         Section 502.354 

         Section 502.355 

         Section 502.356 

         Subchapter I, Chapter 502 

         Section 502.451 

         Section 502.452 

         Section 502.453 

         Section 502.455 

         Section 503.005 

         Subchapter D, Chapter 503 

         Section 503.202 

         Section 503.203 

         Section 503.204 

         Section 503.2045 

         Section 503.205 

         Section 503.209 

         Section 503.210 

         Section 503.211 

         Subchapter F, Chapter 503 

         Section 503.306 

         Section 503.307 

         Section 503.354 

         Section 503.355 

         Section 503.356 

         Sections 503.401(b), (c), and (d) 

         Section 503.402 

         Section 503.403 

         Section 503.404 

         Section 503.405 

         Section 503.406 

         Section 503.451 

         Section 503.454 

         Subchapter K, Chapter 503 

         Sections 504.001(5) and (7) 

         Section 504.0515 

         Section 504.053 

         Section 504.054 

         Section 504.056 

         Subchapter C, Chapter 504 

         Section 504.157 

         Section 504.161 

         Section 504.203 

         Section 504.204 

         Section 504.205(a) 

         Section 504.252

         Sections 504.2525(b) and (c) 

         Section 504.253 

         Section 504.254 

         Subchapter G, Chapter 504 

         Subchapter H, Chapter 504 

         Section 505.005 

         Section 505.110 

         Subchapter C, Chapter 505 

         Section 505.202 

         Section 505.203 

         Section 505.204 

         Section 505.209 

         Section 505.210 

         Section 505.211 

         Subchapter E, Chapter 505 

         Section 505.355 

         Section 505.356 

         Section 505.402 

         Section 505.403 

         Section 505.404 

         Section 505.452 

         Section 505.453 

         Section 505.454(b) 

         Section 505.455 

         Section 505.456 

         Section 505.457 

         Section 505.501 

         Section 505.503 

         Section 505.504 

         Section 505.508 

         Subchapter K, Chapter 505

 

EFFECTIVE DATE 

 

September 1, 2017.