Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4844 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Gámez H.B. No. 4844
	2	+
	3	+
2	4
3	5
4	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	7		AN ACT
6	8		relating to the establishment of a border county mental health task
7	9		force.
8	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	11		SECTION 1. Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, is amended
10	12		by adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
11	13		SUBCHAPTER F. BORDER COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE
12	14		Sec. 533.151. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "task force"
13	15		means the Border County Mental Health Task Force established under
14	16		this subchapter.
15	17		Sec. 533.152. SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject
16	18		to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless
17	19		continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force
18	20		is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1, 2037.
19	21		Sec. 533.153. TASK FORCE; DUTIES. (a) The Health and Human
20	22		Services Commission shall establish the task force under the Office
21	23		of Rural Mental Health to advise the commissioner regarding the
22	24		mental and behavioral health problems, conditions, challenges, and
23	25		needs of the population of a county that:
24	26		(1) is adjacent to the international border with
25	27		Mexico; and
26	28		(2) has a population of less than 500,000 and more than
27	29		400,000.
28	30		(b) The task force shall advise the commissioner on:
29	31		(1) policy priorities addressing major issues
30	32		affecting the mental and behavioral health of county residents;
31	33		(2) raising public awareness of the issues described
32	34		by Subdivision (1); and
33	35		(3) other mental and behavioral health issues
34	36		affecting county residents, as determined by the commissioner,
35	37		including:
36	38		(A) barriers to accessing mental and behavioral
37	39		health care;
38	40		(B) mental and behavioral health problems,
39	41		including, but not limited to:
40	42		(i) suicide;
41	43		(ii) depression;
42	44		(iii) eating disorders;
43	45		(iv) substance abuse;
44	46		(v) schizophrenia; and
45	47		(vi) bipolar disorder;
46	48		(C) factors that impede access to mental and
47	49		behavioral health care, including:
48	50		(i) socioeconomic conditions;
49	51		(ii) linguistic and cultural barriers;
50	52		(iii) low population density; and
51	53		(iv) lack of health insurance;
52	54		(D) tracking of factors that negatively affect
53	55		the residents' mental and behavioral health;
54	56		(E) standardization of information collection
55	57		procedures;
56	58		(F) identifying best practices and
57	59		standardization of first responder and law enforcement response to
58	60		individuals suffering mental health crisis;
59	61		(G) mental and behavioral health infrastructure
60	62		that includes the establishment of:
61	63		(i) education and research institutions to
62	64		train culturally competent mental and behavioral health care
63	65		providers; and
64	66		(ii) local and regional mental and
65	67		behavioral health programs that build on local resources and
66	68		maximize the use of public money to address the needs of indigent
67	69		populations; and
68	70		(H) consult, collaboration, and cooperation at
69	71		with any:
70	72		(i) other health and human services
71	73		agencies;
72	74		(ii) other appropriate state or federal
73	75		agencies;
74	76		(iii) health science centers and medical
75	77		schools; and
76	78		(iv) public and private health care
77	79		providers and hospitals.
78	80		(v) Mexican counterparts of the task force;
79	81		or
80	82		(vi) federal counterparts of the task force
81	83		operating in the United States.
82	84		Sec. 533.154. COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF RURAL MENTAL
83	85		HEALTH. The Office of Rural Mental Health established under may
84	86		provide to the extent practicable assistance required by the task
85	87		force.
86	88		Sec. 533.155. COMPOSITION; TERMS. (a) The task force is
87	89		composed of:
88	90		(1) one member appointed by the commissioner who is a
89	91		first responder or emergency personnel in the county to which this
90	92		task force applies with experience treating patients experiencing
91	93		mental and behavioral health problems;
92	94		(2) two ex officio nonvoting members who are members
93	95		of the legislature:
94	96		(A) one of whom is appointed by the lieutenant
95	97		governor; and
96	98		(B) one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the
97	99		house of representatives; and
98	100		(3) additional voting members appointed by the
99	101		commissioner from the county to which this task force applies
100	102		including but not limited to representatives from:
101	103		(A) hospitals;
102	104		(B) community health centers;
103	105		(C) the local mental health authority;
104	106		(D) the county health administration;
105	107		(E) a judge with experience in mental health
106	108		diversion proceedings; and
107	109		(F) the district attorney's office.
108	110		(b) The task force shall designate a chair and vice chair of
109	111		the task force from among the task force members.
110	112		(c) The members appointed by the lieutenant governor and the
111	113		speaker of the house of representatives serve three-year terms.
112	114		The remaining members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the
113	115		commissioner.
114	116		Sec. 533.156. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at
115	117		least quarterly each fiscal year. Members may hold meetings by
116	118		conference calls and through videoconference in accordance with
117	119		Section 551.127, Government Code.
118	120		(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting
119	121		held by conference call under this section, except that Subsection
120	122		(b) of that section does not apply.
121	123		Sec. 533.157. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A task force
122	124		member is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
123	125		expenses incurred in performing the member's duties.
124	126		Sec. 533.158. SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM BORDER COUNTY MENTAL
125	127		HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANS: TASK FORCE, COMMISSIONER, AND EXECUTIVE
126	128		COMMISSIONER DUTIES. (a) The task force shall make
127	129		recommendations to the commissioner for short-term and long-term
128	130		border county mental health improvement plans. The short-term plan
129	131		shall identify mental and behavioral health objectives proposed to
130	132		be accomplished not later than the fourth anniversary of the date
131	133		the plan is adopted. The long-term plan shall identify mental and
132	134		behavioral health objectives proposed to be accomplished not later
133	135		than the ninth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted.
134	136		(b) The commissioner shall review the task force's
135	137		recommendations and, based on those recommendations, recommend
136	138		short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
137	139		plans to the executive commissioner, identifying specific mental
138	140		and behavioral health objectives that may be implemented under
139	141		existing law in counties located along the international border
140	142		with Mexico.
141	143		(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt short-term and
142	144		long-term border county mental health improvement plans and direct
143	145		the commission to implement the portions of the plans that may be
144	146		implemented within existing appropriations and under existing law
145	147		in counties located along the international border with Mexico.
146	148		Sec. 533.159. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
147	149		Government Code, does not apply to the task force.
148	150		Sec. 533.160. ASSISTANCE FROM STATE AGENCIES AND POLITICAL
149	151		SUBDIVISIONS. At the request of the task force, a state agency or
150	152		political subdivision of this state may cooperate with the task
151	153		force in implementing the task force's statutory duties.
152	154		Sec. 533.161. REPORTS. (a) Not later than September 1 of
153	155		each even-numbered year, the task force shall submit to the
154	156		commissioner a report of the task force's recommendations,
155	157		including recommendations under Section 533.158 relating to
156	158		short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
157	159		plans.
158	160		(b) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
159	161		the executive commissioner shall submit to the legislature a report
160	162		detailing the actions taken by the task force. The report must
161	163		include:
162	164		(1) the status of all projects and activities
163	165		involving the mental and behavioral health issues described under
164	166		Section 533.153(b)(3);
165	167		(2) the funding for the expenditures; and
166	168		(3) recommendations for legislation necessary to
167	169		implement the short-term and long-term border county mental health
168	170		improvement plans.
169	171		SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2025, the commissioner
170	172		of the Health and Humas Services Commission, lieutenant governor,
171	173		and speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the
172	174		members of the Border County Mental Health Task Force established
173	175		under Subchapter F, Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, as added by
174	176		this Act.
175	177		SECTION 3. The initial short-term mental health improvement
176	178		plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
177	179		added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
178	180		implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2026. The
179	181		Health and Human Services Commission shall implement the
180	182		initiatives in the short-term mental health improvement plan, as
181	183		directed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
182	184		Services Commission, not later than September 1, 2030.
183	185		SECTION 4. The initial long-term mental health improvement
184	186		plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
185	187		added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
186	188		implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2028. The
187	189		Health and Human Services Commission shall implement the
188	190		initiatives in the long-term mental health improvement plan, as
189	191		directed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
190	192		Services Commission, not later than September 1, 2035.
191	193		SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
192	194		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
193	195		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
194	196		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
195	197		Act takes effect September 1, 2025.