BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 906 By: Moody Higher Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Student mental health advocates have expressed concerns regarding the lack of information available at some institutions of higher education in Texas regarding mental health services and suicide prevention services. Given that there is no current requirement for these institutions to provide information regarding these services, it is much less likely that potentially lifesaving information will be provided to any students on campus. H.B. 906 seeks to address this issue by requiring each institution of higher education to provide this important information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 906 amends the Education Code to revise the requirement for a general academic teaching institution to provide information regarding available mental health and suicide prevention services and early warning signs and appropriate intervention to each entering full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional student by doing the following: requiring all public institutions of higher education to provide that information; and requiring the institutions to provide the information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 906
By: Moody
Higher Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 906
By: Moody
Higher Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Student mental health advocates have expressed concerns regarding the lack of information available at some institutions of higher education in Texas regarding mental health services and suicide prevention services. Given that there is no current requirement for these institutions to provide information regarding these services, it is much less likely that potentially lifesaving information will be provided to any students on campus. H.B. 906 seeks to address this issue by requiring each institution of higher education to provide this important information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 906 amends the Education Code to revise the requirement for a general academic teaching institution to provide information regarding available mental health and suicide prevention services and early warning signs and appropriate intervention to each entering full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional student by doing the following: requiring all public institutions of higher education to provide that information; and requiring the institutions to provide the information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students. The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Student mental health advocates have expressed concerns regarding the lack of information available at some institutions of higher education in Texas regarding mental health services and suicide prevention services. Given that there is no current requirement for these institutions to provide information regarding these services, it is much less likely that potentially lifesaving information will be provided to any students on campus. H.B. 906 seeks to address this issue by requiring each institution of higher education to provide this important information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 906 amends the Education Code to revise the requirement for a general academic teaching institution to provide information regarding available mental health and suicide prevention services and early warning signs and appropriate intervention to each entering full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional student by doing the following:
requiring all public institutions of higher education to provide that information; and
requiring the institutions to provide the information to all entering undergraduate, graduate, or professional students.
The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.