BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2895
85R12068 SRS-D	By: Price et al. (Seliger)
	Higher Education
	5/9/2017
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties contend that too few institutions of higher education have complied with the requirement to create a web page dedicated to information regarding the mental health resources available to students at the institution. H.B. 2895 seeks to strengthen that requirement by requiring a conspicuous link to that web page on the institution's website and a certification of compliance.

 

H.B. 2895 amends current law relating to the requirement that certain public institutions of higher education post mental health resources on the institution's Internet website.

 

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. Amends Section 51.9193, Education Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:

 

(c) Requires that each institution of higher education (IHE) to which this section applies:

 

(1) create a web page on the IHE's Internet website that:

 

(A) is dedicated solely to information regarding the mental health resources available to students at the IHE, regardless of whether the resources are provided by the IHE; and

 

(B) includes, rather than the web page is required to include, the address of the nearest local mental health authority; and

 

(2) maintain a conspicuous link on the IHE's Internet website home page to the web page described by Subdivision (1).

 

(d) Requires the president or the president's designee of an IHE to which this section applies, not later than August 1 of each year, to certify to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the IHE's compliance with this section.

 

SECTION 2. Requires an IHE to which Section 51.9193, Education Code, applies to comply with Section 51.9193(c), Education Code, as amended by this Act, not later than December 1, 2017.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.