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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of behavioral health crisis services, |
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including the operation of crisis centers and mobile crisis |
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outreach teams; authorizing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 547, Government Code, as effective April |
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1, 2025, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER K. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES |
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Sec. 547.0501. 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE TRUST FUND. |
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(a) The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund is established |
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as a trust fund to be held by the comptroller outside the state |
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treasury and administered by the commission. |
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(b) The trust fund consists of: |
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(1) revenue derived from the fee described by Section |
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547.0505; |
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(2) legislative appropriations of money for the |
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purposes of this subchapter; |
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(3) available federal funding this state allocates for |
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the purposes of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; |
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(4) gifts, grants, and donations received by this |
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state for the purposes of the trust fund; |
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(5) interest, dividends, and other income of the trust |
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fund; and |
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(6) money from any other source that is deposited in or |
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transferred to the trust fund. |
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(c) Money deposited in the trust fund may only be used to: |
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(1) implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide & |
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Crisis Lifeline, including personnel and technological |
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infrastructure improvements necessary to achieve operational and |
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clinical standards and best practices as provided by the National |
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Suicide Prevention Lifeline; |
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(2) provide funding for crisis outreach and other |
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services a community mental health center provides in response to |
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the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; |
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(3) provide funding for uninsured individuals |
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receiving crisis and stabilization services; |
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(4) provide personnel for crisis centers, mobile |
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crisis outreach teams, and youth crisis outreach teams; |
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(5) fund data provision, reporting, participation in |
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evaluations, and other related quality improvement activities; and |
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(6) administer, oversee, and evaluate the trust fund. |
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(d) The state may not transfer or use trust fund assets for |
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any purpose other than the uses provided in this section. |
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(e) The executive commissioner shall submit an annual |
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report to the legislature and the Federal Communications Commission |
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detailing the trust fund deposits and expenditures in the preceding |
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year. |
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Sec. 547.0502. 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE FEE. (a) |
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The commission, in collaboration with the Commission on State |
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Emergency Communications, may impose a 988 suicide and crisis |
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lifeline service fee to supplement any federal, state, or local |
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funding for suicide prevention or behavioral health crisis services |
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on each: |
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(1) local exchange access line or equivalent local |
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exchange access line, not including public telephone equipment |
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operated by coin or by card reader; |
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(2) wireless telecommunications connection; |
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(3) Voice over Internet Protocol service connection; |
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and |
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(4) purchase of a prepaid wireless telecommunications |
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service by any method. |
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(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall set the fee in |
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an amount sufficient to cover the costs of creating, operating, and |
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maintaining the suicide prevention services provided under this |
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subchapter, according to the national guidelines for crisis |
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services. The commission shall periodically adjust the fee amount |
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as necessary to provide for continuous operation, volume increases, |
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and maintenance. |
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(c) Revenue from the fee shall be deposited in the 988 |
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suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund established under Section |
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547.0504. |
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(d) A fee collected under this section may only be used to |
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offset costs as provided by 47 U.S.C. Section 251a. |
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(e) Revenue from the fee may not be used for expenses that |
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are: |
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(1) reimbursable through Medicaid, Medicare, or |
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another insurer or governmental program; or |
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(2) covered because the service recipient's name and |
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health coverage information cannot be obtained or billed. |
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(f) The executive commissioner shall submit an annual |
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report to the legislature and the Federal Communications Commission |
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detailing the revenue generated by the fee in the preceding year. |
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Sec. 547.0503. ANNUAL REPORT. (a) The commission shall |
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prepare an annual report of the usage of crisis centers and the |
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services provided by the centers. |
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(b) The commission shall present the annual report to the |
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legislature and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services |
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Administration. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |