85R7350 GCB-D     By: Lucio S.B. No. 1688       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of the student mental health division   within the Texas Education Agency.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 7.043 to read as follows:          Sec. 7.043.  STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION. The   commissioner by rule shall establish the student mental health   division within the agency to:                (1)  develop and administer a plan to identify,   leverage, and align existing agency resources to promote the   academic success of students with mental illness or students who   are at risk of having mental illness, including students who are in   special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; and                (2)  promote strong local and statewide   school-community partnerships by coordinating with other relevant   state agencies, including the Health and Human Services Commission,   the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Family   and Protective Services, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the   Texas Juvenile Justice Department.          SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency shall   adopt rules establishing the student mental health division within   the agency, as required by Section 7.043, Education Code, as added   by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2017.