Bill Text: TX HJR5 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the dedication of certain sales and use tax revenue to the Texas mental and behavioral health research fund established to fund research, treatment, and access to services in this state for behavioral health, mental health, and substance use and addiction issues.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2019-05-22 - Placed on intent calendar [HJR5 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HJR5-Introduced.html

---

86R7996 GCB-D
By: Thompson of Harris H.J.R. No. 5

A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the issuance of
general obligation bonds by the Texas Public Finance Authority to
fund research, treatment, and access to services in this state for
behavioral health, mental health, and substance use and addiction
issues.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 68 to read as follows:
Sec. 68. (a) The legislature by general law may authorize
the Texas Public Finance Authority or its successor to provide for,
issue, and sell general obligation bonds of the State of Texas and
to enter into related credit agreements for the purpose of funding
programs:
(1) to research behavioral health issues generally,
including causes of behavioral health issues, public health trends
and strategies regarding behavioral health issues, and new
behavioral health treatments, interventions, and other solutions;
(2) to research substance use and addiction issues,
including genetic determinates of addiction, identification of and
mitigation of substance use and addiction risk factors, addiction
recovery, pain management strategies, and prescription practices;
(3) to research behavioral health and mental health
issues affecting children and adolescents, including unidentified
and untreated mental illness, involvement in the juvenile justice
system, and suicide prevention; and
(4) to address the shortage of mental health
professionals in this state, including programs to increase access
to mental health professionals in rural areas of the state,
programs to increase the use of telemedicine in the treatment of
behavioral health or mental health issues, and programs to provide
loan repayment assistance and other funding for mental health
professionals, including physicians and advanced practice nurses
trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental
illness in children and adolescents.
(b) Proceeds from the sale of the bonds shall be deposited
in separate funds or accounts, as provided by general law, in the
state treasury to be used by the Health and Human Services
Commission or its successor to provide grants to public or private
institutions of higher education in this state or other state
agencies or government entities for the purposes provided by
Subsection (a) of this section.
(c) The bond proceeds may be used to pay the costs of issuing
the bonds and any administrative expense related to the bonds.
(d) While any of the bonds or interest on the bonds
authorized by this section is outstanding and unpaid, from the
first money coming into the state treasury in each fiscal year not
otherwise appropriated by this constitution, an amount sufficient
to pay the principal of and interest on bonds that mature or become
due during the fiscal year and to make payments that become due
under a related credit agreement during the fiscal year is
appropriated, less the amount in the sinking fund at the close of
the previous fiscal year.
(e) Bonds issued under this section, after approval by the
attorney general, registration by the comptroller of public
accounts, and delivery to the purchasers, are incontestable and are
general obligations of the State of Texas under this constitution.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2019.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the
issuance of general obligation bonds by the Texas Public Finance
Authority to fund research, treatment, and access to services in
this state for behavioral health, mental health, and substance use
and addiction issues."