88R9570 EAS-D
 
  By: Springer S.B. No. 1282
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of the Texas Mental Health Care
  Enterprise Fund and the granting of license reciprocity to certain
  mental health professionals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle E, Title 7, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 616 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 616. TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH CARE ENTERPRISE FUND
         Sec. 616.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
  Commission. 
               (2)  "Fund" means the Texas Mental Health Care
  Enterprise Fund established under this chapter.
               (3)  "Mental health professional" means:
                     (A)  a physician certified in psychiatry that is
  licensed under Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
                     (B)  a clinical psychologist licensed under
  Chapter 501, Occupations Code;
                     (C)  a behavior analyst licensed under Chapter
  506, Occupations Code;
                     (D)  a clinical social worker licensed under
  Chapter 505, Occupations Code;
                     (E)  a licensed professional counselor licensed
  under Chapter 503, Occupations Code;
                     (F)  a marriage and family therapist licensed
  under Chapter 502, Occupations Code;
                     (G)  an advanced practice registered nurse, as
  defined by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, certified in
  psychiatry; and
                     (H)  a nurse licensed under Chapter 301,
  Occupations Code, with a master's or doctoral degree in psychiatric
  nursing.
         Sec. 616.002.  TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH CARE ENTERPRISE FUND.
  (a) The Texas Mental Health Care Enterprise Fund is an account in
  the general revenue fund that may be used only for making payments
  under this chapter and to pay costs of administering this chapter.
         (b)  The fund includes:
               (1)  amounts appropriated by the legislature to the
  fund for purposes of this chapter;
               (2)  interest or other returns earned on the investment
  of money in the fund; and
               (3)  gifts, grants, and other donations received for
  the purposes of the fund.
         (c)  The commission shall award from the fund bonus payments
  to eligible mental health professionals for the purpose of
  recruiting and retaining those professionals to provide services in
  this state.
         Sec. 616.003.  ELIGIBILITY; AWARD. (a) A mental health
  professional is eligible to receive a bonus payment under this
  chapter only if the professional is employed by or is under contract
  with:
               (1)  a local mental health authority, as defined by
  Section 531.002;
               (2)  a local behavioral health authority designated by
  the commission under Section 533.0356;
               (3)  a state hospital, as defined by Section 552.0011;
               (4)  the Waco Center for Youth; or
               (5)  a public hospital licensed under Chapter 241 that
  employs:
                     (A)  medical and nursing professionals who
  provide 24-hour professional monitoring, supervision, and
  assistance in an environment designed to provide safety and
  security during an acute behavioral health crisis; and
                     (B)  staff who provide intensive interventions
  designed to relieve acute symptomatology and restore the patient's
  ability to function in a less restrictive setting.
         (b)  The commission may award bonus payments in different
  amounts based on:
               (1)  the mental health professional's specific mental
  health role; and 
               (2)  whether the mental health professional works in an
  urban or rural area.
         (c)  The commission may not award bonus payments to an
  individual mental health professional:
               (1)  more than once in a calendar year;
               (2)  in an amount that exceeds $15,000 for a single
  payment; and
               (3)  in a total amount of more than $30,000.
         Sec. 616.004.  RULES. The executive commissioner shall
  adopt rules to implement this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 112, Occupations Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER C. RECIPROCITY FOR CERTAIN MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
         Sec. 112.101.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Licensing entity" means a department,
  commission, board, office, authority, or other agency of this state
  that regulates a mental health professional.
               (2)  "Mental health professional" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 616.001, Health and Safety Code.
         Sec. 112.102.  RECIPROCITY.  (a)  A licensing entity shall
  issue a license to a person who is currently licensed as a mental
  health professional from another state or jurisdiction that imposes
  licensure requirements similar to those specified in this chapter.
         (b)  An applicant for a reciprocal license shall:
               (1)  submit evidence to the licensing entity that the
  applicant:
                     (A)  is in good standing as determined by the
  licensing entity;
                     (B)  holds a valid license from another state or
  jurisdiction; and
                     (C)  is in compliance with other requirements
  established by the licensing entity; and
               (2)  pay the required fees, if applicable.
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
  Chapter 616, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  Section 112.102, Occupations Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to an application for a license submitted to
  a licensing entity to which that section applies on or after the
  effective date of this Act. An application for a license submitted
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect on the date the application was submitted, and the former law
  is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.