Bill Text: TX HB62 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the transportation of certain mental health patients.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-17 - Left pending in committee [HB62 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB62-Introduced.html
| 84R1586 EES-D | ||
| By: Martinez | H.B. No. 62 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the transportation of certain mental health patients. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 573.012, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Subsections (j) and (k) to read as follows: | ||
| (j) In a county located on the Texas-Mexico border that has | ||
| a population of 500,000 or more and is adjacent to two or more | ||
| counties each of which has a population of 50,000 or more, the judge | ||
| or magistrate may authorize, in the following order of priority, | ||
| the transportation of a person apprehended under this section to | ||
| the appropriate mental health facility by: | ||
| (1) a relative or other responsible person who has a | ||
| proper interest in the person's welfare and who receives no | ||
| remuneration, except for actual and necessary expenses; | ||
| (2) the facility administrator of the appropriate | ||
| mental health facility, unless the administrator notifies the judge | ||
| or magistrate that facility personnel are not available to | ||
| transport the patient; | ||
| (3) a representative of the local mental health | ||
| authority, who shall be reimbursed by the county; | ||
| (4) a special officer for mental health assignment | ||
| certified under Section 1701.404, Occupations Code, who shall be | ||
| reimbursed by the Department of State Health Services from money | ||
| appropriated for that purpose, or if money is not appropriated for | ||
| that purpose, as provided by Section 571.018; or | ||
| (5) the sheriff, a constable, or any on-duty peace | ||
| officer if no person is available under Subdivision (1), (2), (3), | ||
| or (4), who shall be reimbursed by the Department of State Health | ||
| Services from money appropriated for that purpose, or if money is | ||
| not appropriated for that purpose, as provided by Section 571.018. | ||
| (k) A person who under Subsection (j) is authorized by the | ||
| court to transport a person to a mental health facility may contract | ||
| with a person that is listed as a qualified transportation service | ||
| provider by the commissioners court of the county in which the court | ||
| is located to provide the transportation authorized by the court. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 573.013 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 573.013. LIST OF QUALIFIED TRANSPORTATION SERVICE | ||
| PROVIDERS. The commissioners court of a county located on the | ||
| Texas-Mexico border that has a population of 500,000 or more and is | ||
| adjacent to two or more counties each of which has a population of | ||
| 50,000 or more by order shall: | ||
| (1) establish and maintain a list of qualified | ||
| transportation service providers with whom a person may contract in | ||
| accordance with Section 573.012; | ||
| (2) prescribe uniform standards that a person must | ||
| meet to be listed as a qualified transportation service provider; | ||
| (3) establish an application procedure for a person to | ||
| be included on the list, including an appropriate application fee | ||
| to be deposited in the county general fund; | ||
| (4) require officers and employees of the county to | ||
| contract with persons on the list, on a rotating basis, when the | ||
| officer or employee is authorized to provide transportation under | ||
| Section 573.012(j)(5); and | ||
| (5) ensure that the list is made available to any | ||
| person authorized to provide transportation under Section 573.012. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
