89R5962 MPF-D
 
  By: Menéndez, Blanco S.B. No. 3020
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a biennial state report on suicide rates, the Texas
  Violent Death Reporting System, and certain suicide data shared
  under a memorandum of understanding.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 547, Government Code, as effective April
  1, 2025, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER K.  BIENNIAL STATE REPORT ON SUICIDE
         Sec. 547.0501.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Council" means the Statewide Behavioral Health
  Coordinating Council.
               (2)  "First responder" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 421.095.
               (3)  "Postvention" includes activities promoting
  healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by an individual
  affected by the suicide of another.
         Sec. 547.0502.  BIENNIAL REPORT.  (a)  The commission, in
  conjunction with the Department of State Health Services, shall
  prepare a biennial report on the prevalence of suicide in this state
  and state policies and programs adopted across state systems and
  agencies to prevent suicide. The report must:
               (1)  incorporate available statewide and regional data
  on the prevalence rates of suicide-related events, including
  suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths caused by suicide,
  and to the extent practicable be presented in a form that is:
                     (A)  disaggregated by county and recognized
  categories of risk; and
                     (B)  longitudinal to identify changes in suicide
  prevalence rates since 2000;
               (2)  identify the highest categories of risk with
  correlational data;
               (3)  include information on the prevalence rates of
  suicide-related events among active duty military personnel,
  veterans, first responders, and children and adolescents;
               (4)  list state statutes, agency rules, and policies
  related to suicide and suicide prevention, intervention, and
  postvention; and
               (5)  describe state agency initiatives taken since 2000
  to address suicide and include the following information relating
  to each initiative:
                     (A)  the administering state agency;
                     (B)  the funding sources, including whether the
  funding was provided by:
                           (i)  a federal block grant;
                           (ii)  a federal discretionary grant; or
                           (iii)  state appropriations;
                     (C)  the years of operation; and
                     (D)  whether the initiative is a community-based
  effort to address suicide.
         (b)  Each state agency or institution of higher education, as
  defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, that designates a
  representative on the council shall provide to the commission the
  information described by Subsection (a), to the extent that
  information pertains to the respective duties of the agency or
  institution.
         (c)  Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the council shall submit a copy of the report to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction
  over health and mental health.
         SECTION 2.  Section 193.011, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection
  (b-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section, "authorized entity" means the
  department, the Health and Human Services Commission, the Statewide
  Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, a medical examiner, a local
  registrar, a local health authority, a local mental health
  authority, a community mental health center, a mental health center
  that acts as a collection agent for the suicide data reported by
  community mental health centers, or any other political subdivision
  of this state.
         (b-1)  The department and the Health and Human Services
  Commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to share,
  as soon as practicable, suicide data the vital statistics unit
  collects for the conduct of timely fatality reviews and
  surveillance to prevent additional deaths.
         (c)  The suicide data an authorized entity receives or
  provides under Subsection (b) or (b-1) is not confidential.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.090 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.090.  TEXAS VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM. (a)
  The department shall establish and operate the Texas Violent Death
  Reporting System to participate in the National Violent Death
  Reporting System operated by the federal Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention.
         (b)  The department shall provide suicide data obtained or
  maintained through the Texas Violent Death Reporting System:
               (1)  in accordance with a memorandum of understanding
  the department entered into under Section 193.011; and
               (2)  to the commission for the biennial state report on
  suicide required under Subchapter K, Chapter 547, Government Code.
         (c)  The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2025.