SB3020 - 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.

  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.