BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2100

By: Price

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is a shortage of mental health professionals in Texas, especially mental health professionals who are willing to be employed in the public sector. Further expanding who is eligible to participate in the state's loan repayment program for certain early-career mental health professionals could help increase the number of mental health professionals willing to accept employment in the public sector. H.B. 2100 seeks to do so by extending eligibility for loan repayment assistance to mental health professionals who provide services either to patients in a state hospital or to individuals receiving community-based mental health services from a local mental health authority.

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. 2100 amends the Education Code to extend the eligibility for education loan repayment assistance from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board currently available for certain early-career mental health professionals practicing in a designated mental health professional shortage area to equivalent early-career mental health professionals providing mental health services to patients in a state hospital or to individuals receiving community-based mental health services from a local mental health authority. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who first establishes eligibility for loan repayment assistance on the basis of an application submitted on or after September 1, 2023.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.