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Committee hears bill to give Texas Veterans Commission de‑identified suicide data from death certificates
Summary
House Bill 39 would require the Texas Department of State Health Services to provide the Texas Veterans Commission with de‑identified data from death certificates for veterans when death is caused by suicide or homicide; the committee left the bill pending after proponents urged improved data to track veteran suicides.
House Bill 39, presented to the Senate committee by Senator Menendez, would require the Texas Department of State Health Services to provide the Texas Veterans Commission with de‑identified information from death certificates when a veteran’s death is ruled suicide or homicide. The bill specifies the data must include manner of death, age, race and occupation.
Mitch Fuller, legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Texas, testified in support and called for better data to understand veteran suicides. “This continues that conversation about veteran suicide and making sure we understand exactly, exactly what those numbers are,” Fuller said.
Committee members indicated no committee substitute was available at the hearing and left the bill pending for further consideration; no committee vote is recorded in the hearing record.
