Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1578 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R5818 EAS-F
2	2	By: Thierry H.B. No. 1578
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to establishing the Mental Health Crisis and Suicide
8	8	Prevention Task Force.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
11	11	(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
12	12	Commission.
13	13	(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive
14	14	commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
15	15	(3) "N-1-1 dial code" means a three-digit telephone
16	16	number that connects users to a public safety answering point
17	17	through dialing the three-digit telephone number.
18	18	(4) "Statewide mental health crisis line" means a
19	19	telephonic or other electronic system operated 24 hours a day to
20	20	connect a mental or behavioral health professional with persons
21	21	experiencing a mental health crisis.
22	22	(5) "Task force" means the Mental Health Crisis and
23	23	Suicide Prevention Task Force.
24	24	SECTION 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE. The Mental Health
25	25	Crisis and Suicide Prevention Task Force is established by the
26	26	executive commissioner to study the efficacy and feasibility of
27	27	creating a statewide mental health crisis line for treating mental
28	28	health crises and preventing suicide.
29	29	SECTION 3. COMPOSITION OF TASK FORCE. The task force is
30	30	composed of:
31	31	(1) the governor's designee;
32	32	(2) two members of the senate, appointed by the
33	33	lieutenant governor;
34	34	(3) two members of the house of representatives,
35	35	appointed by the speaker of the house; and
36	36	(4) 10 members appointed by the executive commissioner
37	37	as follows:
38	38	(A) two representatives from the Commission on
39	39	State Emergency Communications;
40	40	(B) two representatives from the commission's
41	41	mental health crisis services office;
42	42	(C) two mental or behavioral health clinicians
43	43	licensed to practice in this state;
44	44	(D) two physicians licensed to practice in this
45	45	state, one of whom specializes in psychiatry;
46	46	(E) one social worker; and
47	47	(F) one community advocate in a relevant field.
48	48	SECTION 4. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. The executive
49	49	commissioner shall appoint from among the task force members a
50	50	chair and vice chair.
51	51	SECTION 5. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The task force shall meet
52	52	at the call of the chair. The chair shall set the agenda for each
53	53	meeting.
54	54	(b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the
55	55	action of the task force.
56	56	SECTION 6. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Except as
57	57	provided by Subsection (b), a member of the task force may not
58	58	receive compensation or reimbursement for service on the task
59	59	force.
60	60	(b) A task force member who is a legislator engaged in the
61	61	business of the task force is entitled to compensation and expenses
62	62	as provided by Chapter 660, Government Code.
63	63	SECTION 7. STUDY; REPORT. (a) In cooperation with the
64	64	commission, the task force shall study:
65	65	(1) the efficacy and feasibility of designating an
66	66	N-1-1 dial code or another dialing code for use as a statewide
67	67	mental health crisis line; and
68	68	(2) the advantages and disadvantages of using a
69	69	particular statewide N-1-1 dial code or another dialing code for a
70	70	statewide mental health crisis line.
71	71	(b) Not later than September 1, 2020, the task force shall
72	72	prepare and submit to the legislature and the commission a written
73	73	report containing the results of the study and a recommendation as
74	74	to whether to establish a particular N-1-1 dial code or other
75	75	covered dialing code for use as a statewide mental health crisis
76	76	line.
77	77	(c) If the report submitted under Subsection (b) includes a
78	78	recommendation to establish a particular N-1-1 dial code or other
79	79	covered dialing code for use as a statewide mental health crisis
80	80	line, the report must also include:
81	81	(1) an outline of the logistics of designating that
82	82	dial code;
83	83	(2) an estimate of the costs associated with
84	84	designating that dial code, including costs incurred by:
85	85	(A) service providers, including:
86	86	(i) translation changes in the network; and
87	87	(ii) cell site analysis and reprogramming
88	88	by wireless carriers; and
89	89	(B) the state and political subdivisions;
90	90	(3) recommendations for designating the dial code;
91	91	(4) a cost-benefit analysis comparing the recommended
92	92	dial code with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as the
93	93	lifeline exists on the date the report is submitted; and
94	94	(5) other recommendations as appropriate for
95	95	improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline generally,
96	96	which may include:
97	97	(A) increased public education and awareness;
98	98	and
99	99	(B) improved infrastructure and operations.
100	100	SECTION 8. FUNDING. The task force, through the
101	101	commission, may accept gifts and grants from any source to fund the
102	102	duties of the commission and the task force under this Act.
103	103	SECTION 9. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
104	104	Government Code, does not apply to the task force.
105	105	SECTION 10. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1,
106	106	2021.
107	107	SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
108	108	September 1, 2019.