bill adding mental health workers to Homes for Texas Heroes

The text as introduced · 647 words

By: Lopez of Cameron
H.B. No. 1129

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the eligibility of mental health professionals for the

Homes for Texas Heroes home loan program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2306.5621(a), Government Code, is

amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (15-a)

to read as follows:

(2) "Home" means a dwelling in this state in which a

fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security

officer, peace officer, professional educator, mental health

professional, veteran, or person defined as emergency medical

services personnel under this section intends to reside as the

borrower's principal residence.

(15-a) "metal health professional" means a licensed or

certified provider as defined by:

(A) Section 110.001(7), Occupations Code,

(B) Section 502.002(4), Occupations Code,

(C) Section 502.002(5), Occupations Code,

(D) Section 503.002(4), Occupations Code,

(E) Section 504.001(3), Occupations Code, and

(F) Section 33.006, Education Code.

SECTION 2. Sections 2306.5621(b), (c), (d), (f), and (h-1),

Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) The corporation shall establish a program to provide

eligible fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,

public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical

services personnel, professional educators, mental health

professionals, and veterans with low-interest home mortgage loans.

(c) To be eligible for a loan under this section, at the time

a person files an application for the loan, the person must:

(1) be a:

(A) fire fighter, corrections officer, county

jailer, public security officer, peace officer, mental health

professionals, veteran, or person defined as emergency medical

services personnel under this section; or

(B) professional educator who is employed by a

school district or is an allied health or professional nursing

program faculty member in this state;

(2) reside in this state; and

(3) have an income of not more than 115 percent of area

median family income, adjusted for family size, or the maximum

amount permitted by Section 143(f), Internal Revenue Code of 1986,

whichever is greater.

(d) The corporation may contract with other agencies of the

state or with private entities to determine whether applicants

qualify as fire fighters, corrections officers, county jailers,

public security officers, peace officers, emergency medical

services personnel, professional educators, mental health

professionals, or veterans under this section or otherwise to

administer all or part of this section.

(f) The board of directors of the corporation shall adopt

rules governing:

(1) the administration of the program;

(2) the making of loans under the program;

(3) the criteria for approving mortgage lenders;

(4) the use of insurance on the loans and the homes

financed under the program, as considered appropriate by the board

to provide additional security for the loans;

(5) the verification of occupancy of the home by the

fire fighter, corrections officer, county jailer, public security

officer, peace officer, professional educator, mental health

professionals, veteran, or person defined as emergency medical

services personnel as the borrower's principal residence; and

(6) the terms of any contract made with any mortgage

lender for processing, originating, servicing, or administering

the loans.

(h-1) To fund home mortgage loans for eligible fire

fighters, corrections officers, county jailers, public security

officers, peace officers, emergency medical services personnel,

professional educators, mental health professionals, and veterans

under this section, the corporation may use any proceeds received

from the sale of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under the

home loan program provided by this section, regardless of any

amendments to the eligibility standards for loans made under the

program and regardless of when the corporation received the

proceeds from those bonds, notes, or other obligations issued under

the program.

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, 2025.