| 4 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 4 | | HOUSE BILL 954 |
|---|
| 6 | 5 | | By Brooks |
|---|
| 7 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 8 | 7 | | |
|---|
| 9 | 8 | | HB0954 |
|---|
| 10 | 9 | | 001488 |
|---|
| 11 | 10 | | - 1 - |
|---|
| 12 | 11 | | |
|---|
| 13 | 12 | | AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33 |
|---|
| 14 | 13 | | and Title 38, relative to alternative crisis response |
|---|
| 15 | 14 | | units. |
|---|
| 16 | 15 | | |
|---|
| 17 | 16 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: |
|---|
| 18 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-101, is amended by adding the |
|---|
| 19 | 18 | | following as new subdivisions: |
|---|
| 20 | 19 | | ( ) "Alternative crisis response unit" means a program where a qualified mental |
|---|
| 21 | 20 | | health professional, who is employed by a law enforcement agency, accompanies a full- |
|---|
| 22 | 21 | | time police officer on mental-health related calls for service, and the qualified mental |
|---|
| 23 | 22 | | health professional is considered the lead on the call; |
|---|
| 24 | 23 | | ( ) "Qualified mental health professional" means the same as defined in ยง 33-1- |
|---|
| 25 | 24 | | 101; |
|---|
| 26 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-104, is amended by adding the |
|---|
| 27 | 26 | | following as a new subsection: |
|---|
| 28 | 27 | | (h) The commission shall establish uniform training standards for alternative |
|---|
| 29 | 28 | | crisis response units for all law enforcement agencies. |
|---|
| 30 | 29 | | SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-119, is amended by designating |
|---|
| 31 | 30 | | the existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following as a new subsection (b): |
|---|
| 32 | 31 | | (b) The commission shall annually provide full-time police officers with training |
|---|
| 33 | 32 | | on how to best support a qualified mental health professional to a call for service with the |
|---|
| 34 | 33 | | alternative crisis response unit. |
|---|
| 35 | 34 | | SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 8, Part 1, is amended by |
|---|
| 36 | 35 | | adding the following as a new section: |
|---|
| 37 | 36 | | |
|---|
| 38 | 37 | | |
|---|
| 39 | 38 | | - 2 - 001488 |
|---|
| 40 | 39 | | |
|---|
| 41 | 40 | | By January 1, 2026, each law enforcement agency shall develop and implement |
|---|
| 42 | 41 | | an alternative crisis response unit. |
|---|
| 43 | 42 | | SECTION 5. Section 2 takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. |
|---|
| 44 | 43 | | All remaining sections take effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it. |
|---|