BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1211

By: Guillen

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Licensed specialists in school psychology are currently not considered mental health professionals under the Education Code for purposes of eligibility for certain loan repayment assistance provided to mental health professionals. These professionals provide essential mental health services to students throughout Texas and hold licenses to practice psychology. H.B. 1211 seeks to provide for the inclusion of a licensed specialist in school psychology among the professionals eligible to receive repayment assistance for certain mental health professional education loans.

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

H.B. 1211 amends the Education Code to include a licensed specialist in school psychology among the professionals considered to be a mental health professional for purposes of eligibility to receive repayment assistance awarded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for certain mental health professional education loans. The bill caps at $40,000 the total amount of applicable repayment assistance a licensed specialist in school psychology may receive and requires such a specialist, to be eligible for that assistance, to meet the following criteria:

· apply to the THECB;

· be employed by the following:

o a public school district all or part of which is located in a federally designated mental health care health professional shortage area;

o an open-enrollment charter school that is located in such an area; or

o a public school that receives funding under Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;

· provide mental health services to students enrolled in that district or school, as applicable; and

· have completed one, two, three, four, or five consecutive years of applicable practice in such a district or school in Texas.

H.B. 1211 repeals the following provisions of the Education Code:

· Section 61.604(d), as added by Chapter 891 (H.B. 3083), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017; and

· Section 61.608(c), as added by Chapter 891 (H.B. 3083), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.