BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 1067
81R21188 YDB-D By: Naishtat (Nelson)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Preventing suicides that occur in clusters requires readily available, up-to-date information. Currently, available data on suicide deaths may be several years old before it becomes public information, which may impede prevention efforts. This bill allows authorized entities to enter into memoranda of understanding to share statistical, nonidentifying suicide information data with one another, as opposed to waiting for aggregate data to be released publically.
H.B. 1067 amends current law relating to a memorandum of understanding between certain authorized entities to share suicide data that does not identify a deceased individual.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Provides that the purpose of this Act is to encourage the prompt reporting of suicide data that does not name a deceased individual and to encourage use of the data for instructive and preventive purposes.
SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 193, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 193.011, as follows:
Sec. 193.011. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON SUICIDE DATA. (a) Defines "authorized entity."
(b) Authorizes an authorized entity to enter into a memorandum of understanding with another authorized entity to share suicide data that does not name a deceased individual. Authorizes the shared data to include the deceased individual's date of birth, race or national origin, gender, and zip code of residence; any school or college the deceased individual was attending at the time of death; the suicide method used by the deceased individual; the deceased individual's status as a veteran or member of the armed services; and the date of the deceased individual's death.
(c) Provides that the suicide data an authorized entity receives or provides under Subsection (b) is not confidential.
(d) Authorizes an authorized entity that receives suicide data under a memorandum of understanding authorized by this section to periodically release suicide data that does not name a deceased individual to an agency or organization with recognized expertise in suicide prevention. Authorizes the agency or organization to use suicide data received by the agency or organization under this subsection only for suicide prevention purposes.
(e) Provides that an authorized entity or an employee or agent of an authorized entity is not civilly or criminally liable for receiving or providing suicide data that does not name a deceased individual and that may be shared under a memorandum of understanding authorized by this section.
(f) Provides that this section does not prohibit the sharing of data as authorized by other law.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.