Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 2609 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize a commissioners court to establish a mental health court program for persons arrested for or charged with a misdemeanor and suspected by law enforcement or a court of having a mental illness or mental retardation. The bill enumerates the characteristics of a mental health court program and permits a program to require a participant to pay the cost of all treatment and services received while participating in the program, based on ability to pay. It authorizes the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house to assign duties relating to the oversight of the mental health court programs to appropriate legislative committees, which may request certain audits.