| 1 | 1 | | 88R23790 MM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lalani H.B. No. 3631 |
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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 requirement that public institutions of higher |
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| 8 | 8 | | education provide certain information regarding mental health |
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| 9 | 9 | | services to entering students. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 51.9194, Education Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 51.9194. REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR ENTERING STUDENTS |
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| 14 | 14 | | REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION SERVICES. (a) In |
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| 15 | 15 | | this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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| 16 | 16 | | assigned by Section 61.003. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (b) An institution of higher education [A general academic |
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| 18 | 18 | | teaching institution] shall provide to each entering [full-time] |
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| 19 | 19 | | undergraduate, graduate, or professional student, including each |
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| 20 | 20 | | [full-time] undergraduate, graduate, or professional student who |
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| 21 | 21 | | transfers to the institution, information about: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) available mental health and suicide prevention |
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| 23 | 23 | | services offered by the institution or by any associated |
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| 24 | 24 | | organizations or programs; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) early warning signs that are often present in and |
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| 26 | 26 | | appropriate intervention for a person who may be considering |
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| 27 | 27 | | suicide. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) [(b)] The information required under this section: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) may be provided through: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (A) a live presentation; or |
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| 31 | 31 | | (B) a format that allows for student interaction, |
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| 32 | 32 | | such as an online program or video; [and] |
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| 33 | 33 | | (2) may not be provided in a paper format only; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (3) must include a campus map identifying any location |
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| 35 | 35 | | at which mental health services are provided to students on campus |
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| 36 | 36 | | and information regarding how to access the services. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) If an institution of higher education provides a tour |
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| 38 | 38 | | during an on-campus orientation for entering students, the tour |
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| 39 | 39 | | must identify at least one location described by Subsection (c)(3) |
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| 40 | 40 | | that is available for use by all students of the institution. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. Section 51.9194, Education Code, as amended by |
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| 42 | 42 | | this Act, applies beginning with entering students at public |
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| 43 | 43 | | institutions of higher education for the 2023 fall semester. |
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| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 45 | 45 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 46 | 46 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 47 | 47 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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