BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3821

By: Hunter

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Nearly a decade ago, the legislature directed the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to develop a mental health program for veterans in Texas. DSHS is required to coordinate with the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) to administer the program. Given the unique circumstances of providing treatment under this program, there have been calls for the TVC to employ and train mental health professionals to assist DSHS in the administration of the program. C.S.H.B. 3821 seeks to require the TVC to do so.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3821 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Veterans Commission to employ and train mental health professionals to assist the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in the administration of the mental health program for veterans.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3821 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a clarification absent from the original that the entity to which the mental health professionals are to provide assistance in the administration of the mental health program for veterans is DSHS.