Texas House bill by Rep. Thompson establishes peer support network for first responders

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Senfronia Thompson aims to establish a peer support network for first responders, providing confidential assistance and suicide prevention training across urban and rural areas, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 54 Democrats and 41 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 41 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor, with no opposing votes.

Senfronia Thompson introduced the bill in the Texas House on Thursday, March 13, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Thompson graduated from Texas Southern University with a BS and again from Thurgood Marshall School of Law with a JD.

Thompson, a Democrat, was elected to the Texas State House in 1983 to represent the state’s 141st House district, replacing previous state representative Gib Lewis.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to a peer support network for first responders’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill establishes a peer support network for first responders, to be developed by Texas Southern University, and takes effect Sept. 1, 2025. The network includes peer-to-peer support, suicide prevention training, technical assistance, and access to mental health professionals. It ensures first responders in both urban and rural areas receive support through regional hubs and may provide connections to clinical resources at no cost. Participation in the network is confidential and protected from disclosure. The university is required to submit an annual report on the network’s efficacy to the governor and legislature. Disciplinary actions based on participation in the support network are prohibited for first responders.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Wednesday, May 28, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.