S.B. No. 1356
AN ACT
relating to human trafficking and its victims and the care of
juveniles who have experienced traumatic events.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 221.002, Human Resources Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
(c-1) In adopting rules under Subsection (a)(3), the board
shall require probation officers, juvenile supervision officers,
and court-supervised community-based program personnel to receive
trauma-informed care training. The training must provide
knowledge, in line with best practices, of how to interact with
juveniles who have experienced traumatic events.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 221, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 221.0035 to read as follows:
Sec. 221.0035. BEST PRACTICES TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS
VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING. (a) In this section, "sex
trafficking" means an offense under Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal
Code.
(b) The department shall evaluate the practices and
screening procedures used by juvenile probation departments for the
early identification of juveniles who are victims of sex
trafficking for the purpose of developing a recommended set of best
practices that may be used by a juvenile probation department to
improve the juvenile probation department's ability to identify a
juvenile who is a victim of sex trafficking.
(c) Best practices may include:
(1) examining a juvenile's referral history, including
whether the juvenile has a history of running away from home or has
been adjudicated for previous offenses;
(2) making inquiries into a juvenile's history of
sexual abuse;
(3) assessing a juvenile's need for services,
including counseling through a rape crisis center or other
counseling; and
(4) asking the juvenile a series of questions designed
to determine whether the juvenile is at high risk of being a victim
of sex trafficking.
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 221, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 221.0061 to read as follows:
Sec. 221.0061. TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TRAINING. The
department shall provide trauma-informed care training during the
preservice training the department provides for juvenile probation
officers, juvenile supervision officers, juvenile correctional
officers, and juvenile parole officers. The training must provide
knowledge, in line with best practices, of how to interact with
juveniles who have experienced traumatic events.
SECTION 4. Subsection (b), Section 242.009, Human Resources
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(b) The department shall provide each juvenile correctional
officer employed by the department with at least 300 hours of
training, which must include on-the-job training, before the
officer independently commences the officer's duties at the
facility. The training must provide the officer with information
and instruction related to the officer's duties, including
information and instruction concerning:
(1) the juvenile justice system of this state,
including the juvenile correctional facility system;
(2) security procedures;
(3) the supervision of children committed to the
department;
(4) signs of suicide risks and suicide precautions;
(5) signs and symptoms of the abuse, assault, neglect,
and exploitation of a child, including sexual abuse, [and] sexual
assault, and human trafficking, and the manner in which to report
the abuse, assault, neglect, or exploitation of a child;
(6) the neurological, physical, and psychological
development of adolescents;
(7) department rules and regulations, including
rules, regulations, and tactics concerning the use of force;
(8) appropriate restraint techniques;
(9) the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (42 U.S.C.
Section 15601, et seq.);
(10) the rights and responsibilities of children in
the custody of the department;
(11) interpersonal relationship skills;
(12) the social and cultural lifestyles of children in
the custody of the department;
(13) first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
(14) counseling techniques;
(15) conflict resolution and dispute mediation,
including de-escalation techniques;
(16) behavior management;
(17) mental health issues; [and]
(18) employee rights, employment discrimination, and
sexual harassment; and
(19) trauma-informed care.
SECTION 5. Section 414.005, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 414.005. DUTIES. The council shall:
(1) encourage, advise, and assist in the creation of
crime stoppers organizations;
(2) foster the detection of crime and encourage
persons to report information about criminal acts;
(3) encourage news and other media to broadcast
reenactments and to inform the public of the functions of crime
stoppers organizations' operations and programs;
(4) promote the process of crime stoppers
organizations to forward information about criminal acts to the
appropriate law enforcement agencies;
(5) help law enforcement agencies detect and combat
crime by increasing the flow of information to and between law
enforcement agencies;
(6) create specialized programs targeted at detecting
specific crimes or types of crimes, including at least one program
that:
(A) encourages individuals to report sex
offenders who have failed to register under Chapter 62, Code of
Criminal Procedure; [and]
(B) encourages individuals to report criminal
activity relating to the trafficking of persons, as described under
Chapter 20A, Penal Code; and
(C) financially rewards each individual who
makes a report described by Paragraph (A) or (B) that leads or
substantially contributes to the arrest or apprehension:
(i) of a sex offender who has failed to
register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
(ii) of a person suspected of engaging in
conduct that constitutes an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code;
and
(7) encourage, advise, and assist crime stoppers
organizations in implementing any programs created under
Subdivision (6), including a program specifically described by
Subdivision (6).
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1356 passed the Senate on
April 18, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 23, 2013, by the
following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1356 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
Nays 0, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor