RECOVERY DAY AT THE CAPITOL
Policy Priority Updates
Just checking in:
We are coming into the final days of session and thing are moving very fast. For your review is the updated status of the legislative priorities presented at Recovery Day at the Capital. As you review the Policy Priority Updates, you will see that a number of bills have passed in the House of Representative and have moved on to the Senate and visa-versa.
Specific to “Recovery Support” is the following bills:
• HB 1465 (Moody/Murr)
Once a bill makes it to the Senate side, there needs to be a Senate sponsor to champion the on the Senate side. We are proud to announce that Senator Jose Menendez from San Antonio is sponsoring the Senate version of HB 1465. It has been referred to the Health & Human Services Committee in the Senate. These are the Senators that sit on that committee:
Sen. Lois W. Kolkhorst (District 18 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0118)
Sen. Charles Perry (District 28 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0128)
Sen. Dawn Buckingham (District 24 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0124)
Sen. Donna Campbell (District 25- Cap. Phone: 512-463-0125)
Sen. Peter P. Flores (District 19 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0119))
Sen. Nathan Johnson (District 16 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0116)
Sen. Borris L. Miles (District 13 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0113)
Sen. Beverly Powell (District 10 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0110)
Sen. Kel Seliger (District 31 – Cap. Phone: 512-463-0131)
We have a unique opportunity to make the collective voices of those interested in Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Supports heard in the Texas legislature. As we stated during Recovery Day, the strongest influence that we have are our numbers and our collective ability to reach out to our State Representatives and Senators to let them know our thoughts and concerns about specific legislation.
Here is a template, “Contacting my Representative and Senator 101”, that you could use to assist in your voices being heard at this critical juncture in the continued movement of HB 1 and HB 1465.
PREVENTION WORKS
HB 18 (Price): Relating to consideration of the mental health of public school students in training requirements for certain school employees, curriculum requirements, counseling programs, educational programs, state and regional programs and services, and health care services for students and to mental health first aid program training and reporting regarding local mental health authority and school district personnel.
• Filed 2/26/19
• Referred to Public Health 2/27/19
• Public hearing 3/13/19
• Considered in Calendars 4/11/19
• Passed the House 4/16/19
• Referred to Education 4/17/19
• Senate Companion bill: SB 913 (Watson) Filed 2/19/19 – Referred to Education 3/01/19
HB 19 (Price): Relating to mental health and substance use resources for certain school districts.
• Filed 2/26/19
• Referred to Public Health
• Public hearing 3/13/19
• Considered in Calendars 4/11/19
• Passed the Health & Human Services 4/17/19
• Companion bill SB 914 (Watson): Filed 2/19/19 – Referred to Health & Human Services 3/01/19
HB 1293 (Price): Relating to recommendations by local school health advisory councils regarding opioid addiction education in public schools.
• Filed 2/01/19
• Referred to Public Education 2/27/19
• Public hearing 4/30/19
• Companion SB 435 (Nelson): Filed 1/23/19 – Referred to Education 2/14/19 – Hearing 3/19/19 – Passed Education 4/11/19
SB 305 (Watson): Relating to a defense to prosecution for certain offenses involving possession of small amounts of controlled substances and other prohibited drugs, substances, or paraphernalia for defendants seeking assistance for a suspected overdose.
• Filed 1/07/19
• Referred to Criminal Justice 2/07/19
• Companion HB 2432 (Raney): Filed 2/25/19 – Referred to Public Health 3/11/19
SB 340 (Huffman): Relating to the creation of a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies with the purchase of opioid antagonists.
• Filed 1/11/19
• Referred to Criminal Justice 2/27/19
• Placed on Calendar 4/24/19
• Passed Criminal Justice 4/25/19
• Received by the Senate 4/25/19
• Companion HB 1449 (King): Filed 2/6/19 – Referred to Homeland Security & Public Health 2/27/19
TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE
HB 1 (Zerwas): General Appropriations Act Support Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Exceptional item #21 for a Substance Use Disorder treatment rate adjustment.
• Filed 1/23/19
• Referred to Appropriations 2/11/19
• Public hearing 3/18/19
• Moved to Calendars 3/19/19
• Voted out of House (Passed) 4/9/19
• Senate Amendments distributed 4/17/19
• Companion SB 1 (Nelson): Filed 1/15/19 – Referred to Finance 1/16/19 – Scheduled for public hearing 4/4/19
HB 1110 (Davis): related to the Medicaid eligibility of certain women after pregnancy.
• Filed 1/28/19
• Referred to Human Services 2/26/19
• Moved to Calendars 4/24/19
Similar bills HB 411 (Thiery), SB 750 (Kolkhorst), SB 307 (Watson)
• Companion SB 147 (Rodriguez): Filed 11/12/18 – Referred to Health & Human Services 2/1/19
SB 1 (Nelson) General Appropriations Act Support Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Exceptional item #21 for a Substance Use Disorder treatment rate adjustment
• Filed 1/15/19
• Referred to Finance 1/16/19
• Scheduled for public hearing 4/4/19
• Companion bill: HB 1 (Zerwas): Filed 1/23/19 – Referred to Appropriations 2/11/19 – Public hearing 3/18/19 – Moved to Calendars 3/19/19 – Voted out of House (Passed) 3/20/19
RECOVERY SUPPORT IMPROVES OUTCOMES
HB 1414 (Craddick): Relating to the exemption from ad velorem taxation of property owned by a charitable organizations that provide a meeting place and support services for organizations that provide assistance to alcoholics or their families.
• Filed 2/6/19
• Referred to Ways & Means 2/27/19
• Companion bill: SB 717 (Lucio) Filed 2/8/19 – Referred to Property Tax 3/01/19 – Public hearing 3/26/19
HB 1465 (Moody): Relating to a study expanding recovery housing in the state.
• Filed 2/6/19
• Referred to Public Health 2/27/19
• Hearing date: 3/13/16
• Voted out of committee 3/18/19
• Sent to Calendars 3/21/19
• Voted out of House 4/12/19
• Companion bill sponsored by Sen. Jose Melendez
• Referred to Health & Human Services 4/17/19
HB 1613 (Moody): Relating to the provision of RCO’s services under medicaid
• Filed 2/11/19
• Referred to Human Services 3/4/19
• Companion bill: SB 1807 (Rodriguez) Filed 3/7/19 – Referred to Health & Human Services 3/18/19
HB 1758 (White): Relating to a grant program and interagency review of resources to support and sustain a network of five (5) recovery community organizations in rural counties of less than 100,000 in population.
• Filed 2/13/19
• Referred to Public Health 3/4/19
• Sent to Calendar 4/17/19
SB 717 (Lucio): Relating to the exemption from ad velorem taxation of property owned by charitable organizations that provide a meeting place and support services for organizations that provide assistance to alcoholics or their families.
• Filed 2/8/19
• Referred to Property Tax 3/01/19
• Pending 3/26/19
• Companion bill: HB 1414 (Craddick) Filed 2/8/19 – Referred to Ways & Means 3/01/19