HB 39

"HB 39 – A Quiet but Important Step for Texas Veterans

A lot of bills passed this session that felt rushed or influenced by money, but HB 39 actually does something meaningful. It strengthens how Texas tracks veteran deaths—specifically suicides and homicides—so we can better understand what’s really happening and take steps to stop it.

Here’s what the bill does:

Starting in 2025, when a Texas veteran dies by suicide or homicide, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will send a deidentified summary of that death to the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC). The information must include:

Age

Race

Sex

Occupation

Manner of death

By 2027, the TVC will begin releasing annual reports using this data. The reports will identify trends, analyze risk factors, and recommend what policies Texas should pursue to reduce veteran suicide rates.

Who’s behind the bill?
Rep. Ray Lopez (D-HD125) authored the bill, with strong support from groups like the VFW, American Legion, Caritas of Austin, and USAA. Unlike many bills this session, there’s no corporate handout here—just a solid step toward saving lives.

What got removed?
The Senate cut out a controversial line that would’ve included data on whether a veteran was taking psychotropic medication. This was likely removed due to privacy concerns or incomplete data sources. Some will see that as a loss, but others say it protects sensitive info.

What could still go wrong?
While the idea is strong, there’s no audit process to ensure the reports are accurate, fair, or used responsibly. And there’s no way for families or veteran groups to challenge bad data or push back on how the TVC interprets it. If a future administration politicizes the reports, there’s no safeguard in place.

Still, this bill creates a solid foundation—and that’s more than most. With better data, we can better protect those who served.

Takeaway:
HB 39 won’t fix veteran suicide overnight. But it’s a necessary first step: building the system we need to understand the problem clearly—and that’s the only way to fix it."