By:  Harris                                   S.B. No. 434

         97S0253/1                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the provision of mental health services, including the

 1-2     review of agency rulemaking by the Health and Human Services

 1-3     Commission and the creation of an advisory committee on inpatient

 1-4     mental health services.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 531.034, Government Code, is amended by

 1-7     adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

 1-8           (d)  The commission shall require the Texas Department of

 1-9     Health and the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental

1-10     Retardation to coordinate activities relating to the development of

1-11     proposed rules and policies, and the interpretation and enforcement

1-12     of adopted rules and policies, relating to mental health services

1-13     in those inpatient mental health facilities that are included

1-14     within the scope of Section 571.003(9)(B) and (E), Health and

1-15     Safety Code.  The commission shall review these activities to

1-16     determine compliance by the Texas Department of Health and the

1-17     Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation with this

1-18     subsection.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Chapter 571, Health and Safety Code, is amended

1-20     by adding Section 571.027 to read as follows:

1-21           Sec. 571.027.  ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH

1-22     SERVICES.  (a)  The board shall appoint a nine-member advisory

1-23     committee for the purpose of advising and assisting the board and

 2-1     the department in the consideration, promulgation, and adoption of

 2-2     departmental policies and regulations relating to the provision of

 2-3     mental health services in inpatient mental health facilities

 2-4     included within the scope of Section 571.003(9)(B) and (E).

 2-5           (b)  The advisory committee shall be composed of:

 2-6                 (1)  three representatives from hospitals, two of whom

 2-7     shall be from private mental hospitals licensed by the department

 2-8     and one of whom shall be from a licensed general hospital with an

 2-9     identifiable part in which diagnosis, treatment, and care for

2-10     persons with mental illness is provided;

2-11                 (2)  three consumers of mental health services which

2-12     are provided in hospitals of the two types listed in Subdivision

2-13     (1);

2-14                 (3)  one physician licensed in Texas and currently

2-15     practicing psychiatry;

2-16                 (4)  one representative of the Texas Department of

2-17     Health; and

2-18                 (5)  one representative of the department.

2-19           (c)  Advisory committee members shall serve staggered

2-20     four-year terms, with the terms of four of the members expiring on

2-21     August 31 of one odd-numbered year and the terms of five members

2-22     expiring on August 31 of the next odd-numbered year.

2-23           (d)  The advisory committee shall meet at least four times a

2-24     year.

2-25           (e)  If a vacancy occurs on the advisory committee, the board

 3-1     shall appoint a person to serve the unexpired portion of the term.

 3-2           SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date

 3-3     of this Act, the Texas Board of Mental Health and Mental

 3-4     Retardation shall appoint nine initial members of the advisory

 3-5     committee as provided by Section 571.027, Health and Safety Code,

 3-6     as added by this Act.  At the first meeting of the advisory

 3-7     committee, the nine initial members shall draw lots to determine

 3-8     the lengths of their terms.  Four of the initial members serve for

 3-9     terms expiring August 31, 1999, and five of the initial members

3-10     serve terms expiring on August 31, 2001.

3-11           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-12           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.