By: Driver (Senate Sponsor - Hegar) H.B. No. 2093
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2009;
May 13, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
Justice; May 23, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0;
May 23, 2009, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2093 By: Seliger
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the certification of a county jailer as a special
officer for offenders with mental impairments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1701.404, Occupations Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 1701.404. CERTIFICATION OF OFFICERS FOR MENTAL HEALTH
ASSIGNMENTS. (a) The commission by rule may establish minimum
requirements for the training, testing, and certification of
special officers for offenders with mental impairments.
(b) The commission may certify a sheriff, sheriff's deputy,
constable, [or] other peace officer, county jailer, or [a] justice
of the peace[,] as a special officer for offenders with mental
impairments if the person [officer]:
(1) completes a training course in emergency first aid
and lifesaving techniques approved by the commission;
(2) completes a training course administered by the
commission on mental health issues and offenders with mental
impairments; and
(3) passes an examination administered by the
commission that is designed to test the person's [officer's]:
(A) knowledge and recognition of the
characteristics and symptoms of mental illness, mental
retardation, and mental disabilities; and
(B) knowledge of mental health crisis
intervention strategies for people with mental impairments.
(c) The commission may issue a professional achievement or
proficiency certificate to an officer, county jailer, or justice of
the peace who meets the requirements of Subsection (b).
SECTION 2. (a) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
Standards and Education may certify a county jailer as a special
officer for offenders with mental impairments and may issue a
certificate to the county jailer if the county jailer meets the
requirements of Section 1701.404(b), Occupations Code, as amended
by this Act, regardless of whether the county jailer completed the
required training and passed the examination before, on, or after
the effective date of this Act.
(b) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and
Education may issue a certificate under Section 1701.404(c),
Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, to a justice of the peace
who is certified as a special officer for offenders with mental
impairments regardless of whether the justice of the peace was
certified before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
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