BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 913 By: Frank Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The author has informed the committee that the North Texas State Hospital is currently the only state hospital operating under a two-campus model, with one campus in Wichita Falls and one campus in Vernon, and that this two-campus model could lead to inefficiency and result in the campuses not receiving the proper oversight and attention. Additionally, two new state hospitals are currently being constructed: the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center. However, references to these two new state hospitals have not yet been added to certain statutory provisions that list state hospital facilities. H.B. 913 seeks to address these issues by doing the following: separating the North Texas State Hospital into two distinct hospitals in statute and requiring the employment of a superintendent at each state hospital, including the one in Wichita Falls and the one in Vernon, in order to provide oversight; and adding references to the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center to statutory lists of state hospital facilities so that when they come into operation the application of statute is clear. 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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 3 of this bill. ANALYSIS H.B. 913 amends the Health and Safety Code to revise the list of facilities that are considered mental health components of the Department of State Health Services by including the Vernon State Hospital, the Wichita Falls State Hospital, the Panhandle State Hospital, and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center and removing the reference to the North Texas State Hospital. The bill makes the same changes to the list of facilities included in the definition of "state hospital" that applies to statutory provisions relating to the authority of such a hospital to prohibit a handgun license holder from carrying a handgun on the hospital's property. H.B. 913 requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission by rule to require each state hospital to employ a superintendent. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 913
By: Frank
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 913
By: Frank
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The author has informed the committee that the North Texas State Hospital is currently the only state hospital operating under a two-campus model, with one campus in Wichita Falls and one campus in Vernon, and that this two-campus model could lead to inefficiency and result in the campuses not receiving the proper oversight and attention. Additionally, two new state hospitals are currently being constructed: the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center. However, references to these two new state hospitals have not yet been added to certain statutory provisions that list state hospital facilities. H.B. 913 seeks to address these issues by doing the following: separating the North Texas State Hospital into two distinct hospitals in statute and requiring the employment of a superintendent at each state hospital, including the one in Wichita Falls and the one in Vernon, in order to provide oversight; and adding references to the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center to statutory lists of state hospital facilities so that when they come into operation the application of statute is clear.
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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 3 of this bill.
ANALYSIS H.B. 913 amends the Health and Safety Code to revise the list of facilities that are considered mental health components of the Department of State Health Services by including the Vernon State Hospital, the Wichita Falls State Hospital, the Panhandle State Hospital, and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center and removing the reference to the North Texas State Hospital. The bill makes the same changes to the list of facilities included in the definition of "state hospital" that applies to statutory provisions relating to the authority of such a hospital to prohibit a handgun license holder from carrying a handgun on the hospital's property. H.B. 913 requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission by rule to require each state hospital to employ a superintendent.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The author has informed the committee that the North Texas State Hospital is currently the only state hospital operating under a two-campus model, with one campus in Wichita Falls and one campus in Vernon, and that this two-campus model could lead to inefficiency and result in the campuses not receiving the proper oversight and attention. Additionally, two new state hospitals are currently being constructed: the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center. However, references to these two new state hospitals have not yet been added to certain statutory provisions that list state hospital facilities. H.B. 913 seeks to address these issues by doing the following:
separating the North Texas State Hospital into two distinct hospitals in statute and requiring the employment of a superintendent at each state hospital, including the one in Wichita Falls and the one in Vernon, in order to provide oversight; and
adding references to the Panhandle State Hospital and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center to statutory lists of state hospital facilities so that when they come into operation the application of statute is clear.
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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 3 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 913 amends the Health and Safety Code to revise the list of facilities that are considered mental health components of the Department of State Health Services by including the Vernon State Hospital, the Wichita Falls State Hospital, the Panhandle State Hospital, and the Lubbock Psychiatric Center and removing the reference to the North Texas State Hospital. The bill makes the same changes to the list of facilities included in the definition of "state hospital" that applies to statutory provisions relating to the authority of such a hospital to prohibit a handgun license holder from carrying a handgun on the hospital's property.
H.B. 913 requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission by rule to require each state hospital to employ a superintendent.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.