HB 5342

H.B. No. 5342
  AN ACT
  relating to the provision of behavioral health crisis services,
  including measures to fund and support the 988 Suicide and Crisis
  Lifeline and related services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 547, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter K to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER K.  BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES
         Sec. 547.0551.  988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE TRUST FUND.
  (a)  In this section, "trust company" means the Texas Treasury
  Safekeeping Trust Company.
         (b)  The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund is
  established as a trust fund outside the state treasury to be
  administered by the commission.
         (c)  The trust fund consists of:
               (1)  gifts, grants, and donations, including federal
  funds, received by this state for the purposes of the trust fund;
  and
               (2)  interest, dividends, and other income of the trust
  fund.
         (d)  Money deposited in the trust fund may only be used to:
               (1)  implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide &
  Crisis Lifeline, including personnel and technological
  infrastructure improvements necessary to achieve operational and
  clinical standards and best practices as provided by the 988
  Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; and
               (2)  pay the trust company's expenses of managing the
  trust fund's assets.
         (e)  The trust company shall hold and invest the trust
  fund.  The trust fund may be invested with the state treasury pool
  and may be pooled with other state assets for purposes of
  investment.
         (f)  The overall objective for the investment of the trust
  fund is to maintain sufficient liquidity to meet the needs of the
  trust fund.
         (g)  The trust company may acquire, exchange, sell,
  supervise, manage, or retain any kind of investment that a prudent
  investor, exercising reasonable care, skill, and caution, would
  acquire or retain in light of the purposes, terms, distribution
  requirements, and other circumstances of the trust fund then
  prevailing, taking into consideration the investment of all the
  assets of the trust fund rather than a single investment.
         (h)  The reasonable expenses of managing the trust fund's
  assets shall be paid from the trust fund.
         (i)  The commission at least annually, and more frequently as
  appropriate, shall provide to the trust company a forecast of the
  cash flows into and out of the trust fund to ensure the trust
  company is able to achieve the purposes of this section.
         (j)  The state may not transfer or use trust fund assets for
  any purpose other than the uses provided in this section.
         Sec. 547.0552.  CRISIS CENTER ANNUAL REPORT.  (a)  In this
  section, "crisis center" means a center participating in the 988
  Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network to respond to statewide or
  regional communications.
         (b)  The commission shall prepare an annual report of the
  usage of crisis centers in this state and the services provided by
  the centers.
         (c)  The commission shall present the annual report to the
  legislature and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
  Administration.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  In this section, "commission" means the
  Health and Human Services Commission.
         (b)  The commission, in collaboration with the Commission on
  State Emergency Communications and any other state agency the
  commission determines appropriate, shall conduct a study on the
  implementation of funding mechanisms to support the operation of
  the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, including an evaluation of the
  feasibility of establishing a service fee on telecommunication
  services.
         (c)  The study must evaluate how the establishment of a
  telecommunication service fee or other funding mechanism will help:
               (1)  implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide &
  Crisis Lifeline, including providing for sufficient staffing
  levels, implementing technological improvements, and developing
  the capacity of the lifeline to respond to text messages and other
  online messages;
               (2)  enhance local response for crisis intervention
  services; and
               (3)  meet any increased demand on crisis intervention
  services as a result of any public awareness campaigns regarding
  the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
         (d)  Not later than December 1, 2026, the commission shall
  prepare and submit a report to the legislature on the findings of
  the study, including any recommendations for enhancing the crisis
  intervention services capacity of this state and an analysis of the
  efficacy of implementing a telecommunication service fee or other
  funding mechanism for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
         (e)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
  ______________________________
  ______________________________
     President of the Senate
  Speaker of the House     
         I certify that H.B. No. 5342 was passed by the House on May 7,
  2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 2, 1 present, not
  voting.
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
         I certify that H.B. No. 5342 was passed by the Senate on May
  20, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
  APPROVED:  _____________________
                     Date          
            _____________________
                   Governor