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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the opioid abatement account. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 403, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 403.1044 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 403.1044. OPIOID ABATEMENT ACCOUNT. (a) The opioid |
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abatement account is a dedicated account in the general revenue |
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fund. |
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(b) The account is composed of: |
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(1) money received by the state from any source |
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resulting directly or indirectly from an action by the state |
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against an opioid manufacturer, an opioid distributor, or another |
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person in the opioid industry relating to a violation of state or |
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federal law on the manufacture, marketing, distribution, or sale of |
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opioids; |
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(2) money appropriated or transferred to the account |
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by the legislature; |
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(3) gifts and grants contributed to the account; and |
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(4) earnings on the principal of the account. |
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(c) Money in the account may be appropriated only to a state |
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agency for the abatement of opiod-related harms. |
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(d) A state agency may use money appropriated to the agency |
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from the account only to: |
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(1) prevent opioid use disorder through |
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evidence-based education and prevention, such as school-based |
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prevention, early intervention, or health care services or programs |
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intended to reduce the risk of opioid use by school-age children; |
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(2) support efforts to prevent or reduce deaths from |
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opioid overdoses or other opioid-related harms, including through |
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increasing the availability or distribution of naloxone or other |
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opioid antagonists for use by health care providers, first |
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responders, persons experiencing an opioid overdose, families, |
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schools, community-based service providers, social workers, or |
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other members of the public; |
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(3) create and provide training on the treatment of |
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opioid addiction, including the treatment of opioid dependence with |
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each medication approved for that purpose by the United States Food |
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and Drug Administration, medical detoxification, relapse |
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prevention, patient assessment, individual treatment planning, |
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counseling, recovery supports, diversion control, and other best |
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practices; |
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(4) provide opioid use disorder treatment for youths |
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and adults, with an emphasis on programs that provide a continuum of |
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care that includes screening and assessment for opiod use disorder |
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and co-occurring behavioral health disorders, early intervention, |
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contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, case |
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management, relapse management, counseling services, and |
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medication-assisted treatments; |
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(5) provide access to patients suffering from opioid |
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dependence to all medications approved by the United States Food |
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and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid dependence and |
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relapse prevention following opioid detoxification, including |
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opioid agonists, partial agonists, and antagonists; and |
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(6) support treatment alternatives that provide both |
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psychosocial support and medication-assisted treatments in areas |
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with geographical or transportation-related challenges, including |
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providing access to mobile health services, and telemedicine, |
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particularly in rural areas. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |