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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a veteran suicide tracking system and required |
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reporting of veteran suicides by certain persons. |
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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 434.027 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 434.027. VETERAN SUICIDE TRACKING SYSTEM; REQUIRED |
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REPORTING OF CERTAIN SUICIDES. (a) The Texas Veterans Commission, |
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in collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans |
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Affairs, shall develop and maintain a system for tracking the |
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number of veteran suicides in this state and determining the number |
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of those veterans who received services from the United States |
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Department of Veterans Affairs. The tracking system must include |
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data: |
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(1) available from the United States Department of |
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Veterans Affairs; and |
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(2) reported to the commission under Subsection (b). |
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(b) A person who knows that the cause of death for a veteran |
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is suicide shall report the suicide to the Texas Veterans |
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Commission and provide any information the person has that may |
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assist the commission in determining whether the veteran received |
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services from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. |
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(c) The following persons shall provide to the Texas |
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Veterans Commission in accordance with Subsection (b) any relevant |
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information the person obtains related to the suicide of a veteran: |
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(1) a medical examiner or a justice of the peace who is |
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acting as a coroner; |
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(2) a health care facility licensed under Subtitle B, |
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Title 4, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(3) a mental health facility, as defined by Section |
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571.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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(d) Information about the suicide of a veteran obtained |
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under this chapter is confidential and is not subject to disclosure |
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under Chapter 552, Government Code, is not subject to subpoena, and |
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may not otherwise be released or made public. |
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(e) Not later than December 31 of each year, the Texas |
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Veterans Commission shall submit to the legislature a report that |
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includes: |
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(1) the number of veteran suicides that were reported |
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to the commission under this section during the preceding year; |
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(2) the number of veterans described by Subdivision |
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(1) who received services from the United States Department of |
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Veterans Affairs; |
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(3) information on whether the rate of veteran |
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suicides in this state is decreasing or increasing; |
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(4) an evaluation of the effectiveness of statewide |
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prevention and awareness campaigns in decreasing the number of |
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veteran suicides in this state; and |
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(5) recommendations for improving the effectiveness |
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of statewide prevention and awareness campaigns. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2021, the Texas |
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Veterans Commission shall develop the tracking system required by |
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Section 434.027, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Section 434.027, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act: |
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(1) a person is not required to comply with Section |
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434.027(c) until January 1, 2022; and |
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(2) the Texas Veterans Commission is not required to |
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submit a report required by Section 434.027(e) to the legislature |
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until December 31, 2022. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |