| 1 | 1 | | By: Middleton S.B. No. 2492 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the establishment of an advisory committee to study |
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| 7 | 7 | | suicide prevention and peer support programs in fire departments in |
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| 8 | 8 | | this state. |
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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. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on Fire |
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| 12 | 12 | | Protection. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (2) "Fire department" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 14 | 14 | | Section 419.021, Government Code. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (3) "Fire fighter" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 16 | 16 | | 143.003, Local Government Code. |
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| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 2. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The commission shall |
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| 18 | 18 | | establish an advisory committee to study the need to implement |
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| 19 | 19 | | suicide prevention and peer support programs in fire departments in |
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| 20 | 20 | | this state. The committee is composed of the following members: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) two fire fighters, appointed by the Texas State |
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| 22 | 22 | | Association of Firefighters; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) two fire chiefs, appointed by the Texas Fire |
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| 24 | 24 | | Chiefs Association; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) one person who is licensed to provide professional |
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| 26 | 26 | | mental health services, as defined by Section 531.002, Health and |
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| 27 | 27 | | Safety Code, appointed by the Texas Fire Chiefs Association; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) one person who is licensed to provide professional |
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| 29 | 29 | | mental health services as defined by Section 531.002, Health and |
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| 30 | 30 | | Safety Code, appointed by the Texas State Association of |
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| 31 | 31 | | Firefighters; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (5) the executive director of the commission. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) The committee shall designate a member of the committee |
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| 34 | 34 | | as chair of the committee. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) The commission may adopt rules necessary to carry out |
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| 36 | 36 | | the purpose and duties of the committee under this Act. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) The commission shall provide administrative support and |
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| 38 | 38 | | resources necessary for the committee to carry out the purpose and |
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| 39 | 39 | | duties of the committee under this Act. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (e) The committee may meet in person or by telephone |
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| 41 | 41 | | conference, videoconference, or other electronic means. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2024, the |
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| 43 | 43 | | advisory committee shall prepare and submit a report to the |
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| 44 | 44 | | governor and the legislature. The report must: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) provide an overview of suicide prevention and peer |
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| 46 | 46 | | support groups in fire departments; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) address possible licensing requirements and any |
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| 48 | 48 | | confidentiality concerns; and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (3) provide recommendations on: |
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| 50 | 50 | | (A) the need for legislation to implement suicide |
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| 51 | 51 | | prevention and peer support groups in fire departments; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (B) whether to encourage local governments to |
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| 53 | 53 | | develop local suicide prevention and peer support groups in fire |
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| 54 | 54 | | departments; and |
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| 55 | 55 | | (C) specific programs to be implemented in this |
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| 56 | 56 | | state. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. The advisory committee created |
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| 58 | 58 | | by this Act is abolished and this Act expires January 10, 2025. |
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| 59 | 59 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 60 | 60 | | 1, 2023. |
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