By: Naishtat (Senate Sponsor - Nelson) H.B. No. 1067
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2009;
  April 24, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
  and Human Services; May 4, 2009, reported favorably by the
  following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 4, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to a memorandum of understanding between certain
  authorized entities to share suicide data that does not identify a
  deceased individual.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  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.  Chapter 193, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Section 193.011 to read as follows:
         Sec. 193.011.  MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON SUICIDE DATA.  
  (a)  In this section, "authorized entity" means a medical examiner,
  a local registrar, a local health authority, a local mental health
  authority, a community mental health center, a mental health center
  that acts as a collection agent for the suicide data reported by
  community mental health centers, or any other political subdivision
  of this state.
         (b)  An authorized entity may enter into a memorandum of
  understanding with another authorized entity to share suicide data
  that does not name a deceased individual.  The shared data may
  include:
               (1)  the deceased individual's date of birth, race or
  national origin, gender, and zip code of residence;
               (2)  any school or college the deceased individual was
  attending at the time of death;
               (3)  the suicide method used by the deceased
  individual;
               (4)  the deceased individual's status as a veteran or
  member of the armed services; and
               (5)  the date of the deceased individual's death.
         (c)  The suicide data an authorized entity receives or
  provides under Subsection (b) is not confidential.
         (d)  An authorized entity that receives suicide data under a
  memorandum of understanding authorized by this section may
  periodically release suicide data that does not name a deceased
  individual to an agency or organization with recognized expertise
  in suicide prevention. The agency or organization may use suicide
  data received by the agency or organization under this subsection
  only for suicide prevention purposes.
         (e)  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)  This section does not prohibit the sharing of data as
  authorized by other law.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
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