85R12610 JSC-D
By: Garcia S.B. No. 1194
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to community outreach on the dangers of abusable synthetic
substances.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 469 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 469. ABUSABLE SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCES COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Sec. 469.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Abusable synthetic substance" has the meaning
assigned by Section 484.001.
(2) "Task force" means the abusable synthetic
substances education task force created under this chapter.
Sec. 469.002. ABUSABLE SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCES EDUCATION TASK
FORCE. (a) The abusable synthetic substances education task force
is composed of:
(1) the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency or
the commissioner's designee;
(2) the executive director of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice or the executive director's designee;
(3) the executive director of the Texas Juvenile
Justice Department or the executive director's designee;
(4) the public safety director of the Department of
Public Safety or the director's designee;
(5) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission or the executive commissioner's designee; and
(6) the associate commissioner for intellectual and
developmental disabilities and behavioral health services of the
medical and social services division of the Health and Human
Services Commission or the associate commissioner's designee.
(b) The members of the task force shall elect a presiding
officer from among the membership.
(c) Members of the task force serve without compensation and
may not be reimbursed for travel or other expenses incurred while
conducting the business of the task force.
(d) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding
officer. The task force may meet telephonically in accordance with
Section 551.125(b)(3), Government Code.
(e) Each agency represented on the task force shall
contribute resources to the task force.
Sec. 469.003. COMMUNITY OUTREACH CAMPAIGN. (a) The task
force shall develop and implement a community outreach campaign
that educates the public about and increases awareness of the
dangers of abusable synthetic substances.
(b) The community outreach campaign shall address:
(1) the health, criminal, and social consequences of
using an abusable synthetic substance;
(2) recognizing the packaging of abusable synthetic
substances;
(3) recognizing the signs of abusable synthetic
substance use;
(4) responding to a possible overdose of or adverse
reaction to the ingestion of an abusable synthetic substance; and
(5) treatment options for persons using abusable
synthetic substances.
(c) The community outreach campaign must be designed to
reach a broad audience, but also contain elements specifically
designed for students and youth.
(d) The task force may:
(1) publish and make available written materials on
the dangers of abusable synthetic substances;
(2) use advertisements or similar media to provide
information on the dangers of abusable synthetic substances and
increase community awareness; and
(3) create and maintain an Internet website containing
information on the dangers of abusable synthetic substances.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.