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Panel hears bill to transfer veterans mental‑health programs to Texas Veterans Commission; left pending
Summary
Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs heard House Bill 114, which would move administration of several veterans mental‑health programs from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission and require a statewide suicide‑prevention action plan; the committee left the bill pending after testimony was closed.
House Bill 114, sponsored in the House by Representative Philip Cortez and presented to the Senate committee by Senate sponsor Senator Zaffirini, would transfer administration of the state’s veterans mental‑health programs from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission and establish a TVC grant program for community‑based mental‑health services.
The bill also would direct the Texas Veterans Commission to develop a statewide veteran suicide‑prevention action plan and to submit an annual report to the governor and the Legislature about veterans mental‑health programs. “Generally, the bill would transfer administration of the State's Veterans Mental Health Programs from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission,” Senator Zaffirini said.
A committee substitute that would add transition language and a technical correction was sent up, but the committee did not adopt that substitute during the hearing and indicated staff would circulate it for members to review. The committee opened for public testimony and, after receiving none, closed testimony and left House Bill 114 pending.
The record at the hearing does not include votes or final committee action on the merits of the bill; the status is that the item was left pending for further consideration.
The bill was introduced during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs and was discussed as part of the committee’s legislative review; committee members asked for the committee substitute to be circulated and deferred final action until they review it.
