84th Texas Legislative Session
Click here to download a copy of NAMI Austin’s 84th Legislative Priorities.
Many people don’t feel equipped to be advocates for mental health, but the reality is that you don’t have to be trained to advocate nor do you need experience as a lobbyist. All you need is the willingness to pick up the phone or send an email and lend your voice to the cause of mental health. We make it easy for you to be engaged by regularly posting simple ways to you to advocate. We’ve also created these two easy guides: “How to Make an Advocacy Call“and “How to Write an Advocacy Email.” Please join us in our work in advocating for mental health change that positively impacts people affected by mental illness.
ACTION ALERT
Updated May 25, 2015
You can click here if you are interested in tracking and reading the complete text of these bills and click here to see who represents you.
URGENT: OPEN CARRY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES
SB 11 is on the House calendar on Tuesday, May 26 and raises concerns for mental health advocates.
This bill would allow for open gun carry on college campuses. As soon as possible, please call or email the Capitol office of your individual State Representative and express your concern. See talking points below.
- Mental health issues are prevalent on college campuses. 75% of lifetime cases of mental health conditions begin by age 24. Furthermore, one in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 have a diagnosable mental illness.
- Suicide, which is highly correlated with mental illness, is a large issue for college students. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in individuals aged 15 to 24, accounting for 20% of all deaths annually. In a 2012 assessment completed by the American College Health Association, it was found that 7 percent of college students had “seriously considered suicide” during the previous year.
- 57% of suicides are by gunshot and firearm suicide attempts end in death 85% of the time.Research from the Harvard School of Public Health shows that places where exposure and access to guns is higher, more people die of suicide.
- SB 11 (which would allow the carrying of handguns on the campuses of and certain other locations associated with institutions of higher education) would increase access to a highly lethal means of suicide for a population where mental health problems and suicide are prevalent. SB 11 would put a vulnerable population at higher risk.
Click here to find your individual State Representative.
Memorandum from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has been issued clarifying certain Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA) requirements related to access and continuity of care. This is very important for individuals and families affected by mental illness. Click here to read the memorandum.
Bills To Watch
Click here to download the most current list of bills NAMI Texas and NAMI Austin are watching.
You can click here if you are interested in tracking and reading the complete text of these bills and click here to see who represents you.
Senate Bills
SB 18 (Nelson) Relating to measures to support or enhance graduate medical education in this state (including psychiatrists)
MH workforce enhancement
Companion: HB 1445 (Guillen) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate. Received by House 4/8/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee
SB 55 (Nelson) This legislation creates a grant program at the Health and Human Services Commission, which will receive 100 percent matching funds from a private third party, to support community programs for veterans’ mental health.
Companion: HB 1429 (King) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 4/10/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 125 (Zaffirini) Relating to certain assessments for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Companion: HB 1852 (Naishtat) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 4/10/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 133 (Schwertner) Relating to mental health first aid training for school district employees and school resource officers.
Companion: HB 2220 (Coleman) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 3/18/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee
SB 239 (Schwertner) Relating to student loan repayment assistance for certain mental health professionals.
MH workforce enhancement
Companion(s): HB 1241 (Lozano) or HB 2434 (Coleman) –Each Identical.
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in Senate Higher Education 4/1/2015; Left pending.
SB 267 (Perry) States that cities and counties may not pass an ordinance or regulation that prohibits a rental property owner or the owner’s agent from having the right to choose whether to rent housing to someone based on the person’s lawful source of income, including a federal housing choice voucher.
Further limits housing opportunities
Companion(s): HB 738 (Larson) or HB 2909 (Springer) –Each Identical
NAMI Texas STRONGLY OPPOSES
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 4/8/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 343 (Huffines) Prohibits local governments from passing and enforcing local statutes more restrictive than state law addressing the same topic.
Potential for limiting housing opportunities
Companion: none
NAMI Texas Opposes
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate State Affairs 2/2/2015.
SB 359 (West) Relating to the authority of a peace officer to apprehend a person for emergency detention and the authority of certain facilities to temporarily detain a person with mental illness.
4-hour emergency hold for med/surg. ER departments
Companion: HB 3677 (Workman) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 4/10/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 369 (Ellis) Relating to jury instructions regarding the insanity defense in a criminal case.
Requires jurors be informed prior to deliberating on a verdict of likely assessment and treatment process defendant would undergo if found not guilty by reason of insanity
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate Criminal Justice 2/2/2015.
SB 518 (Uresti) Relating to inclusion of mental health concerns in existing school health efforts.
Adds mental health to health education curricula
Companion: HB 3289 (Farney)
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate Education 2/18/2015.
SB 578 (Hinojosa, Rodriguez) Relating to providing inmates of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with information regarding reentry and reintegration resources.
Companion: HB 569 (Allen) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Passed Senate and received by House 4/10/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 674 (Campbell) Relating to instruction regarding mental, substance abuse and youth suicide in educator training.
Companion: HB 2218 (Coleman) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate Education 2/24/2015.
SB 891 (Rodriguez) Relating to the operations of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, including conditions of confinement of certain inmates and required training for correctional officers employed by the department. 4/8/2015; Awaiting referral to House committee.
SB 1326 (Menendez) Relating to the maximum cumulative period allowed for restoration of a defendant ’s competency to stand trial and to certain time credits awarded against that cumulative period.
Companion: HB 759 (Menendez) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in Senate Criminal Justice 4/14/2015
SB 1507 (Garcia, Rodriguez) Relating to the appointment of a forensic director responsible for statewide coordination and oversight of forensic mental health services overseen by the Department of State Health Services.
Companion: HB 2023 (Naishtat) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably from Senate Health and Human Services 4/9/2015; Recommended for Local and Uncontested Calendar.
SB 1624 (Rodriguez) Relating to a requirement that entering undergraduate students at a public institution of higher education attend an orientation regarding mental health and suicide prevention services.
Suicide prevention; mental health awareness; de-stigmatization
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate Higher Education 3/23/2015.
SB 1664 (Perry) Relating to the establishment of the Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program; authorizing the imposition of fees.
Companion: HB 3766 (Burkett) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably from Senate Business & Commerce; Awaiting floor action.
SB 1774 (Menendez) Relating to the definition of serious mental illness for purposes of certain group health benefit plans.
Companion: HB 838 (Naishtat) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in Senate Business & Commerce 4/14/2015.
SB 1777 (Menendez) Relating to the continuation of certain public benefits, including medical assistance, for individuals after release from confinement in a county jail.
Companion: HB 2523 (Collier) –Identical (Past: HB 144)
NAMI Texas STRONGLY SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to Senate Health & Human Services 3/24/2015.
SB 1888 (Zaffirini) Relating to a requirement that a county report the number of certain persons with mental illness detained in that county’s jail.
Creates reporting requirements for individuals with mental illness entering the jail system for reasons other than having committed a criminal offense (e.g. forms of emergency detention, protective custody)
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably from Senate Criminal Justice 4/8/2015; Recommended for Local and Uncontested Calendar.
SB 1889 (Zaffirini) Relating to the disclosure and use of certain information in the Department of Family and Protective Services central registry of child abuse or neglect cases and the report of certain information regarding those cases to the legislature.
Companion: HB 2039 (Burkett) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in Senate Health & Human Services 4/8/2015; Left pending.
House Bills
HB 19 (King, S.) Relating to mental health and preventive services programs for veterans ’ and military families.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans Affairs Services 4/8/2015; Left pending.
HB 39 (Smithee) Relating to guardianships for incapacitated persons.
Companion: SB 1224 (Schwertner) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably from House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence 4/9/2015; Awaiting floor action.
HB 211 (Rose) Relating to resuming a criminal case after a defendant is
determined to be competent to stand trial.
Meant to speed adjudication process for offenders following competency restoration
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Criminal Jurisprudence 4/15/2015.
HB 352 (King, K., et al) Relating to the drug testing of certain persons seeking benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.
NAMI Texas Opposes
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/12/2015.
HB 843 (Naishtat) Relating to housing services provided through the transitional living services program to certain children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably as substituted by House Human Services; Sent to Local & Consent Calendar 4/8/2015.
HB 867 (Hernandez) Relating to the establishment and operation of the Texas Women Veterans Program.
Companion: SB 2001 (Garcia) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs 4/8/2015; Left pending.
HB 937 (Fletcher) Would allow open-carry of firearms on college and university campuses.
Companion: SB 11 (Birdwell) **passed Senate and sent to House**
NAMI Texas OPPOSES
Current Status: Reported favorably as substituted from Homeland Security and Public Safety 3/31/2015; Awaiting floor action.
HB 1083 (Marquez) Would require that a mental health assessment be undertaken of inmates prior to placement in administrative segregation (solitary confinement).
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Corrections 4/14/2015.
HB 1084 (Marquez) Would mandate outcome reporting and specify requirements of same for individuals placed in administrative segregation.
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Corrections 3/2/2015.
HB 1338 (Naishtat) Mandates brain injury training for first responders.
It is anticipated that language adding impairment due to mental illness as a component of the training will be added
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Emerging Issues In Texas Law Enforcement, Select 3/17/2015; left pending.
HB 1393 (Turner, Syl.) Relating to the establishment of a home and community-based
services program under the Medicaid program for certain persons with severe and
persistent mental illness.
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Human Services 3/9/2015.
HB 1428 (Raymond) Relating to the administration of housing funds set aside for
persons with disabilities through the homebuyer assistance program.
Expands housing opportunities
Companion: SB 1428 (Zaffirini) –Identical
NAMI Texas STRONGLY SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Urban Affairs 3/9/2015.
HB 1429 (King, S) Relating to the creation of a grant program to support community mental health programs for veterans with mental illness.
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs 3/18/2015; Left pending.
HB 1430 (King, S.) Relating to the inclusion of mental health in the public services
endorsement on a public school diploma and in information about health science
career pathways.
MH workforce enhancement
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably by House Public Education; Recommended for Local & Consent Calendar 4/6/2015.
HB 1541 (Burkett) Relating to peer specialists, peer services, and the provision of
those services under the medical assistance program.
Professionalizes peer specialist status through statute covering the processes of certification and governance of peer specialists and codification of scope of practice; MH workforce enhancement
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/13/2015.
HB 1762 (Otto) Relating to the creation of a health care advocacy program for veterans.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs 4/8/2015; Left pending.
HB 1852 (Naishtat) Relating to certain assessments for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Requires a “developmentally appropriate, comprehensive psychosocial assessment” for children in DFPS custodianship.
Companion: SB 125 (West) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably as substituted from House Human Services 4/9/2015; Awaiting floor action.
HB 1855 (Rose) Relating to training, continuing education, and weapons proficiency standards for correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Requires CIT training for correctional officers.
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Corrections 4/9/2015; Left pending.
HB 1873 (Naishtat) Relating to a pilot project to evaluate the use of self-directed mental health services in the integrated Medicaid managed care system.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/13/2015.
HB 2004 (Darby) Relating to a pilot project to provide emergency telemedicine medical services in rural areas.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/14/2015.
HB 2023 (Naishtat) Relating to the appointment of a forensic medical director responsible for statewide coordination and oversight of forensic mental health services provided by the Department of State Health Services.
Awaiting additional clarification on intended implementation processes
Companion: SB 1507 (Garcia) –Identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Public Health 4/7/2015; Left pending.
HB 2039 (Burkett) Relating to the disclosure and use of certain information in the Department of Family and Protective Services central registry of child abuse or neglect cases and the report of certain information regarding those cases to the legislature.
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/13/2015.
HB 2216 (Coleman) Relating to information required of an applicant for a driver ’slicense.
Narrows the allowable inquiries regarding an applicant’s history of mental illness to the sole question as to whether that applicant has a current mental condition that might adversely affect driving ability.
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Reported favorably from House Homeland Security and Public Safety; Sent to Local & Consent Calendar 4/10/2015.
HB 2708 (Coleman) Relating to the qualification for a parent, relative, or legal guardian teaching a driver education course to a person seeking a Class C license. Would rectify current statute, which prohibits persons ‘disabled because of a mental illness’ from teaching the course.
Companion: none
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Transportation subcommittee 3/31/2015; Left pending
HB 2789 (Raymond) Relating to trauma-informed care training for certain employees of state supported living centers and intermediate care facilities.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Human Services 4/13/2015.
HB 2909 (Springer, et al) Relating to the regulation by a municipality or county of the rental or leasing of housing accommodations.
Companion: SB 267 (Perry)
NAMI Texas STRONGLY OPPOSES
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Urban Affairs 4/14/2015.
HB 3025 (Farney) Relating to health benefit coverage for prescription drug synchronization.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Insurance 4/8/2015; Left pending.
HB 3115 (Coleman) Relating to coverage for certain services relating to postpartum depression under the medical assistance and CHIP perinatal programs.
Companion: SB 1698 (Huffman) –Similar
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Public Health 4/7/2015; Left pending
HB 3404 (Thompson, S.) Relating to a study on providing care to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs 4/8/2015; Left pending
HB 3476 (Coleman) Relating to the provision and reimbursement of home telemonitoring services, telemedicine medical services, and telehealth services under the Medicaid program.
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Scheduled for public hearing in House Public Health 4/14/2015.
HB 3643 (Naishtat) Relating to the duration of temporary guardianships established pending contest of a decedent’s estate.
Companion: none; HB 3645 (Naishtat) –identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence 3/19/2015.
HB 3726 (Farias) Relating to establishing a veterans reentry program for certain inmates and state jail defendants confined by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Companion: None
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: Heard in House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs 4/8/2015; Left pending
HB 3903 (Sheffield) Relating to a requirement that a hospital allow a patient to
designate a caregiver to receive aftercare instruction regarding the patient.
Attempting to enhance post-hospitalization continuity of care.
Companion: SB 1952 (Hinojosa) –identical
NAMI Texas SUPPORTS
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Public Health 3/23/2015.
Bills Currently Monitored
HB 1434 (McClendon) Relating to the assignment of certain behavioral health professionals and school counselors to a public school campus.
Would require employment of a mental health professional in school districts with average daily attendance of 250 or more and for that clinician to devote the majority of their time to clinical work and related assessments/interventions
Companion: none
Watching
Current Status: In committee; referred to House Public Education 3/9/2015.