Texas lawmaker pushes for statewide tracking of veteran suicides
KSAT 12
[{'start': '0.480', 'end': '4.799', 'text': 'But first on the nightbeat, veteran'}, {'start': '2.480', 'end': '7.040', 'text': "suicides. It's a major issue that we and"}, {'start': '4.799', 'end': '9.360', 'text': 'myself have unfortunately reported on'}, {'start': '7.040', 'end': '12.080', 'text': 'recently. But just how farreaching is'}, {'start': '9.360', 'end': '13.840', 'text': "this problem? Truth is, it's not a clear"}, {'start': '12.080', 'end': '15.759', 'text': "or comprehensive. We don't have"}, {'start': '13.840', 'end': '17.680', 'text': 'comprehensive data. However, one state'}, {'start': '15.759', 'end': '19.680', 'text': 'rep is trying to mandate that each Texas'}, {'start': '17.680', 'end': '21.760', 'text': 'county logged that number in an effort'}, {'start': '19.680', 'end': '24.720', 'text': "to identify the problems we're facing or"}, {'start': '21.760', 'end': '26.560', 'text': "the ones that served are facing. I'm"}, {'start': '24.720', 'end': '28.320', 'text': "tired of watching my friends die. I'm"}, {'start': '26.560', 'end': '31.519', 'text': 'tired of watching them take their life.'}, {'start': '28.320', 'end': '35.920', 'text': 'The number that we all talk about uh'}, {'start': '31.519', 'end': '38.320', 'text': 'generally is 22 suicides a day a day. Um'}, {'start': '35.920', 'end': '41.040', 'text': "uh that's way too many, but we really"}, {'start': '38.320', 'end': '42.800', 'text': "don't know if it's 22, 32, or even more."}, {'start': '41.040', 'end': '44.800', 'text': 'The reason for that, there is no law in'}, {'start': '42.800', 'end': '47.039', 'text': 'Texas that requires counties to keep log'}, {'start': '44.800', 'end': '50.239', 'text': 'of veteran suicides. You mentioned'}, {'start': '47.039', 'end': '53.520', 'text': "research a second ago. That's hard to"}, {'start': '50.239', 'end': '55.920', 'text': "come by. Um, right now it's not mandated"}, {'start': '53.520', 'end': '59.280', 'text': 'that Texas counties keep track'}, {'start': '55.920', 'end': '61.120', 'text': 'specifically of veteran suicides. Just'}, {'start': '59.280', 'end': '62.719', 'text': "your thoughts that that's not in place"}, {'start': '61.120', 'end': '63.920', 'text': "yet. Yeah, that's one of the bigger"}, {'start': '62.719', 'end': '65.600', 'text': "problems that we're seeing right as"}, {'start': '63.920', 'end': '67.280', 'text': "we're trying to collect all this data."}, {'start': '65.600', 'end': '70.479', 'text': 'Less than half of the states in in the'}, {'start': '67.280', 'end': '72.320', 'text': 'United States uh are required. However,'}, {'start': '70.479', 'end': '74.960', 'text': 'state repay Lopez is trying to change'}, {'start': '72.320', 'end': '77.040', 'text': 'that by introducing House Bill 39, which'}, {'start': '74.960', 'end': '79.759', 'text': "passed the House unanimously. It'll"}, {'start': '77.040', 'end': '83.600', 'text': 'require it to be collected. will provide'}, {'start': '79.759', 'end': '85.840', 'text': 'the level of data on the actual forms'}, {'start': '83.600', 'end': '89.200', 'text': 'themselves so they can easily just check'}, {'start': '85.840', 'end': '91.840', 'text': 'off and make sure that that that data or'}, {'start': '89.200', 'end': '94.000', 'text': 'that if you will that inventory of'}, {'start': '91.840', 'end': '95.520', 'text': 'suicides is being collected. He explains'}, {'start': '94.000', 'end': '97.600', 'text': 'county coroners will be provided a form'}, {'start': '95.520', 'end': '99.200', 'text': 'so they can identify a veteran suicide,'}, {'start': '97.600', 'end': '100.880', 'text': 'adding volunteer organizations and'}, {'start': '99.200', 'end': '102.880', 'text': 'organizations like the Texas Veterans'}, {'start': '100.880', 'end': '105.040', 'text': 'Commission will then do the research and'}, {'start': '102.880', 'end': '106.320', 'text': 'try to identify what more could be done.'}, {'start': '105.040', 'end': '108.079', 'text': "They've served their country, they"}, {'start': '106.320', 'end': '109.520', 'text': 'served us all and they served us well.'}, {'start': '108.079', 'end': '111.360', 'text': 'What we need to do is is return that'}, {'start': '109.520', 'end': '113.439', 'text': 'favor. According to a study by Brown'}, {'start': '111.360', 'end': '115.680', 'text': 'University, four times as many active'}, {'start': '113.439', 'end': '117.759', 'text': 'duty and war veterans died by suicide'}, {'start': '115.680', 'end': '120.360', 'text': 'than in battle during the war on terror.'}, {'start': '117.759', 'end': '122.360', 'text': "That's the 20-year period from 911 to"}, {'start': '120.360', 'end': '126.040', 'text': '2021.'}, {'start': '122.360', 'end': '128.800', 'text': '30,177 service members died by suicide.'}, {'start': '126.040', 'end': '130.479', 'text': '7,57 died in combat. We need to bring'}, {'start': '128.800', 'end': '132.480', 'text': 'attention to the crisis, which is why'}, {'start': '130.479', 'end': '135.280', 'text': 'veteran Tim Jensen is on board with'}, {'start': '132.480', 'end': '136.959', 'text': 'HB39. How much more will it benefit'}, {'start': '135.280', 'end': '138.959', 'text': 'trying to solve this issue? Well, I'}, {'start': '136.959', 'end': '141.680', 'text': 'think it would certainly u you know'}, {'start': '138.959', 'end': '144.239', 'text': 'shine a light to a shadowy corner of'}, {'start': '141.680', 'end': '146.239', 'text': 'this conversation.'}, {'start': '144.239', 'end': '148.560', 'text': 'Again, House Bill 39 cleared the Texas'}, {'start': '146.239', 'end': '149.840', 'text': 'House with unanimous support and is now'}, {'start': '148.560', 'end': '151.440', 'text': 'in the Senate Veterans Affairs'}, {'start': '149.840', 'end': '153.760', 'text': 'Committee. If the panel and full Senate'}, {'start': '151.440', 'end': '157.120', 'text': "approval will approve the bill, it'll go"}, {'start': '153.760', 'end': '157.120', 'text': "to Governor Greg Abbott's desk."}]