HB 5342, Hse 2nd Rdg, Amnd #1

Amend HB 5342 (house committee report) by striking all below the enacting clause and substituting the following:

SECTION 1. Chapter 547, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER K. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES

Sec. 547.0551. 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE TRUST FUND. (a) In this section, "trust company" means the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company.

(b) The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund is established as a trust fund outside the state treasury to be administered by the commission.

(1) gifts, grants, and donations, including federal funds, received by this state for the purposes of the trust fund; and

(2) interest, dividends, and other income of the trust fund.

(d) Money deposited in the trust fund may only be used to:

(1) implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, including personnel and technological infrastructure improvements necessary to achieve operational and clinical standards and best practices as provided by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; and

(2) pay the trust company's expenses of managing the trust fund's assets.

(e) The trust company shall hold and invest the trust fund. The trust fund may be invested with the state treasury pool and may be pooled with other state assets for purposes of investment.

(f) The overall objective for the investment of the trust fund is to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet the needs of the trust fund.

(g) The trust company may acquire, exchange, sell, supervise, manage, or retain any kind of investment that a prudent investor, exercising reasonable care, skill, and caution, would acquire or retain in light of the purposes, terms, distribution requirements, and other circumstances of the trust fund then prevailing, taking into consideration the investment of all the assets of the trust fund rather than a single investment.

(h) The reasonable expenses of managing the trust fund's assets shall be paid from the trust fund.

(i) The commission at least annually, and more frequently as appropriate, shall provide to the trust company a forecast of the cash flows into and out of the trust fund to ensure the trust company is able to achieve the purposes of this section.

(j) The state may not transfer or use trust fund assets for any purpose other than the uses provided in this section.

Sec. 547.0552. CRISIS CENTER ANNUAL REPORT. (a) In this section, "crisis center" means a center participating in the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network to respond to statewide or regional communications.

(b) The commission shall prepare an annual report of the usage of crisis centers in this state and the services provided by the centers.

(c) The commission shall present the annual report to the legislature and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

SECTION 2. (a) In this section, "commission" means the Health and Human Services Commission.

(b) The commission, in collaboration with the Commission on State Emergency Communications and any other state agency the commission determines appropriate, shall conduct a study on the implementation of funding mechanisms to support the operation of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, including an evaluation of the feasibility of establishing a service fee on telecommunication services.

(c) The study must evaluate how the establishment of a telecommunication service fee or other funding mechanism will help:

(1) implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, including providing for sufficient staffing levels, implementing technological improvements, and developing the capacity of the lifeline to respond to text messages and other online messages;

(2) enhance local response for crisis intervention services; and

(3) meet any increased demand on crisis intervention services as a result of any public awareness campaigns regarding the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2026, the commission shall prepare and submit a report to the legislature on the findings of the study, including any recommendations for enhancing the crisis intervention services capacity of this state and an analysis of the efficacy of implementing a telecommunication service fee or other funding mechanism for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.