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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of an advisory committee on mental health |
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issues affecting veterans within the Texas Veterans Commission. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 434.0102 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 434.0102. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH. (a) |
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The commission shall establish an advisory committee on mental |
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health issues affecting veterans to: |
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(1) advise the commission on mental health issues |
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affecting veterans; |
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(2) identify and study mental health issues affecting |
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veterans, including suicide; |
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(3) assess existing mental health services for |
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veterans, including services aimed at suicide prevention; and |
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(4) develop recommendations to improve and increase |
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mental health services for veterans, including services aimed at |
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suicide prevention. |
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(b) The advisory committee is composed of members appointed |
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by the executive director. The committee must include at least: |
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(1) one member who is a mental health professional; |
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(2) one member who is a mental health advocate; |
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(3) one member who is a member of the Texas Medical |
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Association; and |
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(4) one member who is a representative of the United |
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States Department of Veterans Affairs. |
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(c) The executive director may appoint as many members to |
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the advisory committee as the executive director considers |
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appropriate to achieve the purposes of the committee. |
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(d) The executive director shall appoint one member of the |
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advisory committee to serve as presiding officer. |
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(e) A member of the advisory committee may not receive |
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compensation for service on the committee, but is entitled to |
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reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in |
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performing committee duties. The committee may accept gifts, |
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grants, and donations to pay for those expenses. |
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(f) The advisory committee shall meet at least quarterly at |
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the call of the presiding officer and at other times as determined |
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by the presiding officer. The committee may hold a meeting by |
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telephone conference call or videoconference. |
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(g) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the advisory committee shall submit a written or electronic report |
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to the commission, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the |
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legislature with its findings and recommendations described under |
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Subsection (a). |
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(h) The commission shall adopt any rules necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules governing the terms of and |
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any additional qualifications for members of the advisory |
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committee. |
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(i) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory committee. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2017, the executive |
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director of the Texas Veterans Commission shall appoint members to |
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the advisory committee established under Section 434.0102, |
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Government Code, as added 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. |