81R16417 JSC-F
By: Coleman H.B. No. 3748
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3748:
By: Burnam C.S.H.B. No. 3748
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to continuing education requirements for law enforcement
officers relating to interaction with persons with mental
impairments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1701.352, Occupations Code, is amended
by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
follows:
(b) The commission shall require a state, county, special
district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace
officers to provide each peace officer with a training program at
least once every 48 months that is approved by the commission and
consists of:
(1) topics selected by the agency; and
(2) not more than 20 hours of education and training
that contain curricula incorporating the learning objectives
developed by the commission regarding:
(A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, and
cultural diversity; [and]
(B) de-escalation and crisis intervention
techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental
impairments; and
(C) unless determined by the agency head to be
inconsistent with the officer's assigned duties:
(i) the recognition and documentation of
cases that involve child abuse or neglect, family violence, and
sexual assault; and
(ii) issues concerning sex offender
characteristics.
(g) The training and education program on de-escalation and
crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with
persons with mental impairments under Subsection (b)(2)(B):
(1) must be not less than eight hours every 48 months;
and
(2) may not be provided as an online course.
SECTION 2. The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
Standards and Education shall modify the training program required
by Section 1701.352(b), Occupations Code, as amended by this Act,
and ensure that the modified program is available not later than
January 1, 2010.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.