BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2895

By: Price

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

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.

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

H.B. 2895 amends the Education Code to establish that the requirement for a general academic teaching institution, medical and dental unit, public junior college, public state college, or public technical institute to create a web page dedicated to information regarding the mental health resources available to students at the institution applies regardless of whether those resources are provided by the institution. The bill requires such an institution to maintain a conspicuous link to the web page on the institution's website home page. The bill requires an institution to comply with these provisions not later than December 1, 2017.

H.B. 2895 requires the president or the president's designee of an applicable institution, not later than August 1 of each year, to certify to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the institution's compliance with provisions relating to the required posting of mental health resources, as amended by the bill.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.