LCO No. 4970 1 of 2
General Assembly Committee Bill No. 5563
January Session, 2019
LCO No. 4970
Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AFFAIRS
Introduced by:
(VA)
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR MENTAL
HEALTH AND POST -TRAUMATIC STRESS DIS ORDER ISSUES
IMPACTING VETERANS INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2019) The Chief Court 1
Administrator shall establish an ongoing training program for judges 2
regarding mental health and post-traumatic stress disorder issues 3
affecting veterans who are involved in the criminal justice system. The 4
Chief Court Administrator may consult with organizations that 5
advocate on behalf of veterans and with mental health professionals to 6
ensure that such training program includes information on any unique 7
characteristics of crimes committed by veterans impacted by mental 8
health and post-traumatic stress disorder issues. 9
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2019 New section
Committee Bill No. 5563
LCO No. 4970 2 of 2
Statement of Purpose:
To require the Chief Court Administrator to establish a training
program for judges regarding mental health and post-traumatic stress
disorders affecting veterans involved in the criminal justice system.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline,
except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is
not underlined.]
Co-Sponsors: REP. KLARIDES, 114th Dist.; REP. CANDELORA, 86th Dist.
REP. O'DEA, 125th Dist.; REP. O'NEILL, 69th Dist.
REP. KOKORUDA, 101st Dist.; REP. ZUPKUS, 89th Dist.
REP. GREEN, 55th Dist.; REP. DAUPHINAIS, 44th Dist.
H.B. 5563