BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2698

By: Guillen

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is a lack of access to mental health and suicide prevention resources on state agency websites. This diminishes resource availability to individuals suffering from mental health issues, particularly veterans. H.B. 2698 seeks to ensure that every executive or judicial branch state agency provides on its website the phone numbers for, and links to the respective websites of, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2698 amends the Government Code to require each executive or judicial branch state agency to prominently post on its website the phone numbers for, and links to the respective websites of, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023