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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the student mental health division |
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within the Texas Education Agency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 7.043 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7.043. STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION. The |
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commissioner by rule shall establish the student mental health |
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division within the agency to: |
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(1) develop and administer a plan to identify, |
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leverage, and align existing agency resources to promote the |
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academic success of students with mental illness or students who |
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are at risk of having mental illness, including students who are in |
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special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; and |
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(2) promote strong local and statewide |
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school-community partnerships by coordinating with other relevant |
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state agencies, including the Health and Human Services Commission, |
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the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Family |
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and Protective Services, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the |
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Texas Juvenile Justice Department. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency shall |
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adopt rules establishing the student mental health division within |
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the agency, as required by Section 7.043, Education Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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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. |