87R3599 SRA-D
By: Neave H.B. No. 2356
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a veteran suicide tracking system and required
reporting of veteran suicides by certain persons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 434.027 to read as follows:
Sec. 434.027. VETERAN SUICIDE TRACKING SYSTEM; REQUIRED
REPORTING OF CERTAIN SUICIDES. (a) The Texas Veterans Commission,
in collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs, shall develop and maintain a system for tracking the
number of veteran suicides in this state and determining the number
of those veterans who received services from the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs. The tracking system must include
data:
(1) available from the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs; and
(2) reported to the commission under Subsection (b).
(b) A person who knows that the cause of death for a veteran
is suicide shall report the suicide to the Texas Veterans
Commission and provide any information the person has that may
assist the commission in determining whether the veteran received
services from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) The following persons shall provide to the Texas
Veterans Commission in accordance with Subsection (b) any relevant
information the person obtains related to the suicide of a veteran:
(1) a medical examiner or a justice of the peace who is
acting as a coroner;
(2) a health care facility licensed under Subtitle B,
Title 4, Health and Safety Code; or
(3) a mental health facility, as defined by Section
571.003, Health and Safety Code.
(d) Information about the suicide of a veteran obtained
under this chapter is confidential and is not subject to disclosure
under Chapter 552, Government Code, is not subject to subpoena, and
may not otherwise be released or made public.
(e) Not later than December 31 of each year, the Texas
Veterans Commission shall submit to the legislature a report that
includes:
(1) the number of veteran suicides that were reported
to the commission under this section during the preceding year;
(2) the number of veterans described by Subdivision
(1) who received services from the United States Department of
Veterans Affairs;
(3) information on whether the rate of veteran
suicides in this state is decreasing or increasing;
(4) an evaluation of the effectiveness of statewide
prevention and awareness campaigns in decreasing the number of
veteran suicides in this state; and
(5) recommendations for improving the effectiveness
of statewide prevention and awareness campaigns.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2021, the Texas
Veterans Commission shall develop the tracking system required by
Section 434.027, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 434.027, Government
Code, as added by this Act:
(1) a person is not required to comply with Section
434.027(c) until January 1, 2022; and
(2) the Texas Veterans Commission is not required to
submit a report required by Section 434.027(e) to the legislature
until December 31, 2022.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.