| 1 | 1 | | 88R7665 EAS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lopez of Bexar H.B. No. 2148 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study on veteran deaths caused by suicide. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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| 10 | 10 | | (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. |
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| 11 | 11 | | (2) "Veteran" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 12 | 12 | | 2308.251, Government Code. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (b) The commission shall conduct a study to evaluate veteran |
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| 14 | 14 | | deaths in this state caused by suicide in the preceding five years. |
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| 15 | 15 | | The report must include, if available: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) the total number of veterans whose death was |
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| 17 | 17 | | caused by suicide in the preceding five years; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) a summary of the age, gender, and race of each |
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| 19 | 19 | | veteran described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) a comprehensive list of the medications prescribed |
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| 21 | 21 | | to or controlled substances present in the body of each veteran |
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| 22 | 22 | | described by Subdivision (1) of this subsection at the time of the |
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| 23 | 23 | | veteran's death, as applicable, including any medication that: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) was labeled with a warning box included in |
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| 25 | 25 | | the prescribing information due to the drug's serious or |
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| 26 | 26 | | life-threating side effects or risks; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (B) was taken for a purpose inconsistent with the |
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| 28 | 28 | | United States Food and Drug Administration's approved use of the |
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| 29 | 29 | | medication; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (C) was a psychotropic; or |
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| 31 | 31 | | (D) was labeled with a warning regarding the risk |
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| 32 | 32 | | of developing suicidal ideation; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (4) a summary of medical diagnoses for veterans by |
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| 34 | 34 | | physicians employed by the United States Department of Veterans |
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| 35 | 35 | | Affairs that led to the physicians prescribing the medications |
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| 36 | 36 | | described by Subdivision (3) of this subsection; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (5) the number of instances during which a veteran |
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| 38 | 38 | | whose death was caused by suicide was on multiple medications |
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| 39 | 39 | | prescribed by a physician employed by the United States Department |
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| 40 | 40 | | of Veterans Affairs; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (6) the percentage of veterans described by |
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| 42 | 42 | | Subdivision (1) of this subsection who were not taking any |
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| 43 | 43 | | medication prescribed by a physician employed by the United States |
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| 44 | 44 | | Department of Veterans Affairs; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (7) the percentage of veterans described by |
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| 46 | 46 | | Subdivision (1) of this subsection with combat experience or who |
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| 47 | 47 | | experienced trauma, including military sexual trauma, traumatic |
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| 48 | 48 | | brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (8) each Veterans Health Administration facility with |
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| 50 | 50 | | a notably high percentage of prescriptions per facility patient or |
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| 51 | 51 | | of suicide rates among patients treated at the facility; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (9) a description of United States Department of |
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| 53 | 53 | | Veterans Affairs policies governing the prescribing of medications |
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| 54 | 54 | | described by Subdivision (3) of this subsection; |
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| 55 | 55 | | (10) any patterns apparent to the commission based on |
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| 56 | 56 | | the review; and |
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| 57 | 57 | | (11) recommendations for further action that would |
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| 58 | 58 | | improve the safety and well-being of veterans. |
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| 59 | 59 | | (c) The commission may collaborate with any state or federal |
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| 60 | 60 | | agency as necessary to obtain the information described by |
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| 61 | 61 | | Subsection (b) of this section. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (d) Not later than March 1, 2025, the commission shall |
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| 63 | 63 | | prepare and submit to the governor and legislature and post on the |
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| 64 | 64 | | commission's Internet website a report containing the results of |
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| 65 | 65 | | the study and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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| 66 | 66 | | SECTION 2. This Act expires September 1, 2025. |
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| 67 | 67 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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