| 1 | 1 | | 89R7651 LRM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 3599 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the certification of peer specialists and peer |
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| 10 | 10 | | specialist supervisors for purposes of Medicaid mental health and |
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| 11 | 11 | | substance use services. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Section 547.0003, Government Code, as effective |
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| 14 | 14 | | April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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| 15 | 15 | | as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (c) In adopting rules under Subsection (a)(2) for purposes |
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| 17 | 17 | | of mental health and substance use services provided through |
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| 18 | 18 | | Medicaid, the executive commissioner shall ensure that the initial |
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| 19 | 19 | | or renewal application of a person for certification as a peer |
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| 20 | 20 | | specialist or peer specialist supervisor is denied only for a |
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| 21 | 21 | | period of: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) three years following the date on which the |
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| 23 | 23 | | applicant was convicted of or placed on community supervision for: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) an alcohol or drug offense punishable as a |
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| 25 | 25 | | Class A misdemeanor or felony; or |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) except as provided by Subsection (d), any |
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| 27 | 27 | | other offense punishable as a felony; or |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) except as provided by Subsection (d), two years |
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| 29 | 29 | | following the date on which the applicant was convicted of or placed |
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| 30 | 30 | | on community supervision for an alcohol or drug offense punishable |
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| 31 | 31 | | as a Class B misdemeanor. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (d) The executive commissioner by rule shall provide for a |
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| 33 | 33 | | period longer than the period specified by Subsection (c)(1) during |
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| 34 | 34 | | which an initial or renewal application for certification as a peer |
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| 35 | 35 | | specialist or peer specialist supervisor to provide mental health |
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| 36 | 36 | | or substance use services through Medicaid must be denied if the |
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| 37 | 37 | | applicant has been convicted of or placed on community supervision |
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| 38 | 38 | | for an offense involving harm or the possibility of harm to a child, |
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| 39 | 39 | | an adult, or an animal. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 41 | 41 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 42 | 42 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 43 | 43 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 44 | 44 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 45 | 45 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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