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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to making available through the Internet certain |
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information about housing and treatment options in each county for |
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persons with mental illness. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.03132 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.03132. INTERNET ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON HOUSING |
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AND TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. (a) The |
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commission shall make available through the Texas Information and |
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Referral Network Internet website established under Section |
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531.0313 information regarding housing and treatment options for |
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persons with mental illness provided by public or private entities |
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throughout the state. |
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(b) To the extent resources are available, the website must |
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be: |
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(1) indexed by county; and |
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(2) designed to inform a person about the housing and |
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treatment options for persons with mental illness provided in the |
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area where the person lives, together with directions on how or |
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where to apply for housing and treatment. |
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(c) The website must contain a searchable listing of |
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available housing and treatment options, by type, for persons with |
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mental illness and an explanation of the populations of persons |
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with mental illness generally served by that option. |
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(d) The commissioners court of each county may provide for a |
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link to the website described by Subsection (a) on the county's |
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Internet website. |
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(e) Each entity providing housing or treatment specifically |
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for persons with mental illness in this state, including the |
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Department of State Health Services, municipalities, counties, |
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other political subdivisions of this state, and private entities, |
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shall cooperate with the Texas Information and Referral Network as |
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necessary in the administration of this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |