BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2571

By: Gutierrez

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that many civilian patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been able to be treated to the point of remission or recovery. C.S.H.B. 2571 seeks to address the issue of PTSD in veterans by providing for the establishment of the National Center for Warrior Resiliency as a research and clinical care center for combat-related PTSD and related conditions.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2571 amends the Education Code to require the board of regents of The University of Texas System to establish the National Center for Warrior Resiliency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) for the purposes of researching issues relating to the detection, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid conditions and providing clinical care to enhance the psychological resiliency of military personnel and veterans. The bill vests the center's organization, control, and management in the board and requires the board to provide for the employment of staff and an operating budget for the center and to select the site for the center at UT Health San Antonio. The bill authorizes the board to solicit, accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private source for the use and benefit of the center. The bill authorizes the center to enter into agreements or otherwise collaborate with public or private entities to perform the center's research functions. The bill establishes that an employee of the center is an employee of The University of Texas System.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2571 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 74, Education Code, is  amended by adding Section 74.155 to read as follows: Sec. 74.155.  NATIONAL CENTER FOR WARRIOR RESILIENCY.(a)   In this section, "PTSD" means posttraumatic stress disorder and related conditions. (b)  The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio shall establish and maintain the National Center for Warrior Resiliency, a center devoted to research and clinical  care regarding: (1)  the detection, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of combat-related PTSD and comorbid conditions; and (2)  enhancing the psychological resiliency of military personnel and veterans. (c)  The center shall foster multi-disciplinary and multi-  institutional research collaborations, and for that purpose may establish or participate in research consortia with other Texas  and national public and private institutions of higher education  and appropriate federal agencies such as the United States  Veterans Administration, the United States Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health. (d)  The health science center shall seek funding for center operations through gifts, grants, donations, including sponsored research.	SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 74, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 74.155 to read as follows: Sec. 74.155.  NATIONAL CENTER FOR WARRIOR RESILIENCY.  (a)  In this section: (1)  "Board" means the board of regents of The University of Texas System. (2)  "Center" means the National Center for Warrior Resiliency. (b)  The board shall establish the National Center for Warrior Resiliency at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio for purposes of: (1)  researching issues relating to the detection, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder and comorbid conditions; and (2)  providing clinical care to enhance the psychological resiliency of military personnel and veterans. (f)  The center may enter into agreements or otherwise collaborate with public or private entities, including other public institutions of higher education, private or independent institutions of higher education, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Department of Defense, and the National Institutes of Health, to perform the research functions of the center. (c)  The organization, control, and management of the center are vested in the board. (d)  The board shall: (1)  provide for the employment of staff and an operating budget for the center; and (2)  select a site for the center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. (e)  The board may solicit, accept, and administer gifts and grants from any public or private source for the use and benefit of the center. (g)  An employee of the center is an employee of The University of Texas System.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives the 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, 2017.	SECTION 2.  Substantially the same as introduced version.