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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental |
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Health Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 38.302, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.302. ESTABLISHMENT. The Collaborative Task Force |
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on Public School Mental Health Services is established to study and |
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evaluate: |
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(1) mental health services that are funded by this |
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state and provided at a school district or open-enrollment charter |
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school for purposes of Sections 37.115 and 38.351 directly to: |
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(A) a student enrolled in the district or school; |
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(B) a parent or family member of or person |
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standing in parental relation to a student enrolled in the district |
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or school; or |
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(C) an employee of the district or school; |
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(2) training provided to an educator employed by the |
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district or school to provide the mental health services described |
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by Subdivision (1); and |
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(3) the impact the mental health services described by |
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Subdivision (1) have on: |
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(A) the number of violent incidents that occur at |
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school districts or open-enrollment charter schools; |
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(B) the suicide rate of the individuals who are |
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provided the mental health services described by Subdivision (1); |
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(C) the number of public school students referred |
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to the Department of Family and Protective Services for |
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investigation services and the reasons for those referrals; |
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(D) the number of individuals who are transported |
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from each school district or open-enrollment charter school for an |
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emergency detention under Chapter 573, Health and Safety Code; |
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[and] |
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(E) the number of public school students referred |
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to outside providers for mental health care, including outside |
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counselors referred to in accordance with Section 38.010; and |
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(F) fostering a positive school climate as |
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defined by Section 38.351(d). |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F-1, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 38.3031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.3031. TERMS; VACANCY. (a) Members of the task |
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force serve staggered three-year terms. A member may serve more |
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than one term. |
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(b) A vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same |
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manner as the original placement or appointment, as applicable. |
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SECTION 3. Section 38.308(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The task force shall: |
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(1) gather data on: |
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(A) the number of students enrolled in each |
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school district and open-enrollment charter school; |
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(B) the number of individuals to whom each school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school provides the mental |
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health services described by Section 38.302(1); |
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(C) the number of individuals for whom each |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school has the resources |
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to provide the mental health services described by Section |
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38.302(1); |
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(D) the number of individuals described by |
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Paragraph (B) who are referred to an inpatient or outpatient mental |
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health provider; |
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(E) the number of individuals who are transported |
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from each school district or open-enrollment charter school for an |
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emergency detention under Chapter 573, Health and Safety Code; |
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(F) the race, ethnicity, gender, special |
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education status, educationally disadvantaged status, and |
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geographic location of: |
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(i) individuals who are provided the mental |
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health services described by Section 38.302(1); |
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(ii) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (D); |
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(iii) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (E); |
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(iv) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (H); [and] |
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(v) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (I); |
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(vi) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (L)(ii); |
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(vii) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (M)(iii); and |
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(viii) individuals who are described by |
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Paragraph (N)(iii); |
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(G) mental health services and trainings |
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provided by: |
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(i) school districts, at both the campus |
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and district level; and |
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(ii) open-enrollment charter schools; |
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(H) the number of individuals who were placed in |
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a disciplinary alternative education program or out-of-school |
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suspension or expelled; |
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(I) the number of threat assessments conducted |
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under Section 37.115; [and] |
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(J) the number of reports made from each school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school by an employee of the |
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district or school or by a school resource officer, to the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services regarding an alleged |
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incident of abuse or neglect; |
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(K) the mental health supports and services |
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offered directly to students by a school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school through the systemic and |
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coordinated multitiered support system for mental health under |
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Section 37.115 and in accordance with Section 38.351; |
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(L) the number of referrals to mental health |
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supports and services offered directly to students by a school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school through the systemic and |
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coordinated multitiered support system for mental health under |
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Section 37.115 and in accordance with Section 38.351, including: |
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(i) the number of referrals resulting from |
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a threat assessment; and |
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(ii) the number of students who received |
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the support or service to which the student was referred; |
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(M) the number of referrals to a partner or |
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community-based provider, including: |
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(i) the number of referrals made to each |
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provider; |
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(ii) the number of referrals resulting from |
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a threat assessment; and |
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(iii) the number of students who received |
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the support or service to which the student was referred; and |
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(N) the number of referrals to a psychiatric |
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hospital, acute care hospital, or emergency room to address acute |
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mental health risks, including: |
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(i) the number of referrals made to each |
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provider; |
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(ii) the number of referrals resulting from |
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a threat assessment; and |
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(iii) the number of students who received |
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the support or service to which the student was referred; and |
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(2) study, evaluate, and make recommendations |
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regarding the mental health services described by Section |
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38.302(1), the training described by Section 38.302(2), and the |
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impact of those mental health services, as described by Section |
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38.302(3), including addressing: |
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(A) the outcomes and the effectiveness of the |
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services and training provided, including the outcomes and |
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effectiveness of the service and training providers and the |
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programs under which services and training are provided, in: |
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(i) improving student academic achievement |
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and attendance; |
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(ii) reducing student disciplinary |
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proceedings, suspensions, placements in a disciplinary alternative |
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education program, and expulsions; and |
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(iii) delivering prevention and |
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intervention services to promote early mental health skills, |
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including: |
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(a) building skills relating to |
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managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive |
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relationships, and making responsible decisions; |
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(b) preventing substance abuse; |
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(c) preventing suicides; |
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(d) adhering to the purpose of the |
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relevant program services or training; |
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(e) promoting trauma-informed |
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practices; |
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(f) promoting a positive school |
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climate, as defined by Section 38.351(d), in the district or |
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school; and |
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(g) improving physical and emotional |
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safety and well-being in the district or school and reducing |
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violence in the district or school; |
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(B) best practices for districts and schools in |
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implementing the services or training in accordance with Sections |
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37.115 and 38.351, including best practices for: |
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(i) funding for mental health services and |
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training provided by a district or school; |
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(ii) improving psychological safety; |
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(iii) coordinating systemic and |
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multitiered support systems that address school climate, as defined |
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by Section 39.351(d), the social and emotional domain, and |
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behavioral and mental health; |
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(iv) increasing contract-based |
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collaborative efforts or partnerships with local community |
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programs, agencies, and providers; and |
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(v) district or school and campus level |
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policies and procedures related to referral pathways to increase |
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access to mental health services; |
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(C) disparities in the race, ethnicity, gender, |
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special education status, and geographic location of individuals |
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receiving the services; and |
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(D) best practices to replicate the services or |
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training for all districts and schools. |
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SECTION 4. Section 38.312, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.312. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and |
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this subchapter expires December 1, 2031 [2025]. |
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SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the members of the Collaborative Task Force on Public |
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School Mental Health Services shall draw lots to determine which |
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members serve a term expiring September 1, 2026, which members |
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serve a term expiring September 1, 2027, and which members serve a |
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term expiring September 1, 2028. The lots must be split into thirds |
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or as near to thirds as possible. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2025. |