| 1 | 1 | | 88R2744 JTZ-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 2160 |
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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 mental health professional staffing requirements at law |
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| 8 | 8 | | schools at public institutions of higher education. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 51.9197 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 51.9197. MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL STAFFING |
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| 13 | 13 | | REQUIREMENT. (a) In this section: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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| 15 | 15 | | assigned by Section 61.003. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) "Mental health professional" has the meaning |
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| 17 | 17 | | assigned by Section 164.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) Each law school at an institution of higher education |
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| 19 | 19 | | shall ensure that at least one full-time equivalent mental health |
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| 20 | 20 | | professional is available at the school. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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| 22 | 22 | | adopt rules as necessary to administer this section. |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 2. Section 51.9197, Education Code, as added by |
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| 24 | 24 | | this Act, applies beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 26 | 26 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 27 | 27 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 28 | 28 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 29 | 29 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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