87R3599 SRA-D
 
  By: Neave H.B. No. 2356
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a veteran suicide tracking system and required
  reporting of veteran suicides by certain persons.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 434.027 to read as follows:
         Sec. 434.027.  VETERAN SUICIDE TRACKING SYSTEM; REQUIRED
  REPORTING OF CERTAIN SUICIDES. (a) The Texas Veterans Commission,
  in collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans
  Affairs, shall develop and maintain a system for tracking the
  number of veteran suicides in this state and determining the number
  of those veterans who received services from the United States
  Department of Veterans Affairs. The tracking system must include
  data:
               (1)  available from the United States Department of
  Veterans Affairs; and
               (2)  reported to the commission under Subsection (b).
         (b)  A person who knows that the cause of death for a veteran
  is suicide shall report the suicide to the Texas Veterans
  Commission and provide any information the person has that may
  assist the commission in determining whether the veteran received
  services from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
         (c)  The following persons shall provide to the Texas
  Veterans Commission in accordance with Subsection (b) any relevant
  information the person obtains related to the suicide of a veteran:
               (1)  a medical examiner or a justice of the peace who is
  acting as a coroner;
               (2)  a health care facility licensed under Subtitle B,
  Title 4, Health and Safety Code; or
               (3)  a mental health facility, as defined by Section
  571.003, Health and Safety Code.
         (d)  Information about the suicide of a veteran obtained
  under this chapter is confidential and is not subject to disclosure
  under Chapter 552, Government Code, is not subject to subpoena, and
  may not otherwise be released or made public.
         (e)  Not later than December 31 of each year, the Texas
  Veterans Commission shall submit to the legislature a report that
  includes:
               (1)  the number of veteran suicides that were reported
  to the commission under this section during the preceding year;
               (2)  the number of veterans described by Subdivision
  (1) who received services from the United States Department of
  Veterans Affairs;
               (3)  information on whether the rate of veteran
  suicides in this state is decreasing or increasing;
               (4)  an evaluation of the effectiveness of statewide
  prevention and awareness campaigns in decreasing the number of
  veteran suicides in this state; and
               (5)  recommendations for improving the effectiveness
  of statewide prevention and awareness campaigns.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 31, 2021, the Texas
  Veterans Commission shall develop the tracking system required by
  Section 434.027, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  Notwithstanding Section 434.027, Government
  Code, as added by this Act:
               (1)  a person is not required to comply with Section
  434.027(c) until January 1, 2022; and
               (2)  the Texas Veterans Commission is not required to
  submit a report required by Section 434.027(e) to the legislature
  until December 31, 2022.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.