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

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-Comm_Sub.html
  86R21243 GCB-D
 
  By: Thompson of Harris, Bonnen of Galveston, H.J.R. No. 5
      Coleman, Phelan, Moody, et al.
 
  Substitute the following for H.J.R. No. 5:
 
  By:  Coleman C.S.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)  Subject to Subsection (b) of this section, 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 this 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)  The Texas Public Finance Authority may not issue or sell
  general obligation bonds authorized under this section in an amount
  that exceeds $3 billion and may not issue in a year more than $500
  million in bonds authorized under this section.
         (c)  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.
         (d)  The bond proceeds may be used to pay the costs of issuing
  the bonds and any administrative expense related to the bonds.
         (e)  While any of the bonds or interest on the bonds 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.
         (f)  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 up to $3 billion in 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."
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