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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a task force to address suicide |
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prevention at public institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter W-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER W-1. TASK FORCE TO PREVENT SUICIDE AT INSTITUTIONS OF |
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HIGHER EDUCATION |
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Sec. 51.861. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(2) "Task force" means the task force established |
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under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 51.862. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE. A task force is |
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established under this subchapter to develop a strategy to prevent |
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suicide at institutions of higher education. |
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Sec. 51.863. TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP. (a) The task force |
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consists of 13 members appointed as follows: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house |
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of representatives; |
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(4) four members appointed by the presiding officer of |
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the task force; |
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(5) one representative from The University of Texas' |
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counseling and mental health center appointed by the chancellor of |
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The University of Texas System; |
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(6) one representative from Texas A&M University's |
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student counseling services appointed by the chancellor of The |
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Texas A&M University System; and |
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(7) one representative of the Department of State |
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Health Services appointed by the executive commissioner of the |
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Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(b) Members of the task force must be individuals who are: |
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(1) actively involved in the prevention of suicide and |
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the improvement of student welfare; or |
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(2) employed by an institution of higher education. |
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(c) Appointments to the task force shall be made without |
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regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or |
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national origin of the appointee. |
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(d) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
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service on the task force. |
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(e) The presiding officer of the task force is the member |
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who represents The University of Texas' counseling and mental |
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health center. |
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(f) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding |
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officer. The task force may meet by teleconference. |
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(g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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task force. |
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Sec. 51.864. TASK FORCE DUTIES. (a) The task force shall |
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identify: |
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(1) all existing programs in the state relating to |
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preventing suicide at institutions of higher education; and |
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(2) the programs described by Subdivision (1) that |
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receive state money. |
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(b) The task force shall develop recommendations for |
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reducing suicide and for improving student welfare at institutions |
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of higher education. In developing recommendations, the task force |
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shall: |
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(1) gather information concerning suicide and student |
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welfare at institutions of higher education, including information |
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regarding: |
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(A) the race, gender, area of study, and year of |
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study for students who have committed suicide, attempted to commit |
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suicide, or sought services related to suicide from a counseling |
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center; |
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(B) protocols on each campus for responding to |
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students in distress, intervention, treatment, re-entry, and |
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post-crisis intervention; |
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(C) the availability of online resources and |
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hotlines; |
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(D) efforts to screen students for behavioral |
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health disorders and suicidal ideation; |
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(E) efforts to enforce suicide means restriction |
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and reduce access to lethal means; |
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(F) counselor-to-student ratios; |
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(G) student groups raising awareness about |
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suicide prevention and behavioral health problems; and |
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(H) social media coping resources, including |
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online resources; |
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(2) receive reports and testimony from individuals, |
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state and local governmental agencies, community-based |
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organizations, and other public and private organizations; and |
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(3) create goals for state policy that would prevent |
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suicide and improve student welfare at institutions of higher |
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education. |
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Sec. 51.865. SUPPORT AGENCY DUTIES. The Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board, the Department of State Health |
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Services, The University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M |
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University System shall: |
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(1) provide administrative support services to the |
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task force; |
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(2) coordinate administrative responsibilities with |
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the task force to avoid unnecessary duplication of duties; |
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(3) share the costs of the task force, including |
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administrative expenses; and |
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(4) each designate a person to serve as a liaison with |
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the task force. |
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Sec. 51.866. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES; PRIVATE |
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FOUNDATIONS. (a) The task force shall consult with employees of |
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the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the Department of |
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State Health Services, The University of Texas System, and The |
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Texas A&M University System as necessary to accomplish the task |
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force's responsibilities under this subchapter. |
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(b) The task force may collaborate as necessary with any |
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appropriate state agency, including institutions of higher |
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education. |
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(c) The task force may consult with private foundations that |
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have made a substantial commitment to the prevention of suicide to |
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accomplish the task force's responsibilities under this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 51.867. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2018, the |
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task force shall prepare and submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report |
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that includes: |
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(1) a description of the activities of the task force; |
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(2) the findings of the task force on the current state |
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of suicide at institutions of higher education; |
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(3) recommendations on best practices for higher |
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education policies and protocols for preventing suicide; and |
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(4) any other matter the task force considers |
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appropriate. |
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Sec. 51.868. FUNDING; ACCOUNT. (a) The task force shall |
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review the funding strategies for the task force and develop |
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proposals for expanding the sources of funds available to finance |
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the activities of the task force. |
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(b) The task force may accept gifts and grants from |
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individuals or private or public organizations and accept federal |
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and local funds to support the task force. |
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(c) The suicide prevention task force account is an account |
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in the general revenue fund. Money in the account may be |
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appropriated only to the task force for the purposes of this |
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subchapter. The suicide prevention task force account is exempt |
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from the application of Section 403.095, Government Code. The |
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account consists of: |
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(1) gifts and grants to the task force; |
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(2) money received by the task force from federal, |
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state, or local government; and |
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(3) notwithstanding Section 404.071, Government Code, |
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all interest attributable to money held in the account. |
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Sec. 51.869. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and |
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this subchapter expires September 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. The members of the task force shall be appointed |
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as required by Section 51.863, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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not later than October 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2017. |