| 1 | 1 | | 84R3371 TSR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Giddings H.B. No. 579 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to animal encounter training for peace officers. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 10 | 10 | | by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (l) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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| 12 | 12 | | commission shall require an officer to complete an animal encounter |
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| 13 | 13 | | training program established by the commission under Section |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1701.261. An officer shall complete the program not later than the |
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| 15 | 15 | | second anniversary of the date the officer is licensed under this |
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| 16 | 16 | | chapter or the date the officer applies for an intermediate |
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| 17 | 17 | | proficiency certificate, whichever date is earlier. |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
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| 19 | 19 | | amended by adding Section 1701.261 to read as follows: |
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| 20 | 20 | | Sec. 1701.261. ANIMAL ENCOUNTER TRAINING PROGRAM. (a) The |
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| 21 | 21 | | commission shall establish a statewide comprehensive education and |
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| 22 | 22 | | training program on animal encounters and animal behavior. The |
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| 23 | 23 | | training program must provide instruction in: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) handling animal-related calls or unplanned |
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| 25 | 25 | | encounters with animals, with an emphasis on canine-related |
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| 26 | 26 | | incidents and the use of nonlethal methods and tools in handling an |
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| 27 | 27 | | encounter; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) identifying and understanding animal behavior; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) laws and ordinances related to animals; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (4) avoiding an animal attack; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (5) using nonlethal methods to defend against an |
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| 32 | 32 | | animal attack. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) At least once every three years, the commission shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | review the content of the training program under this section and |
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| 35 | 35 | | update the program as necessary. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (c) Each officer who has not completed the training program |
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| 37 | 37 | | as required by Section 1701.253(l) shall complete the training |
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| 38 | 38 | | program not later than September 1, 2017. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) Subsection (c) and this subsection expire January 1, |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2019. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. Section 1701.402, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 42 | 42 | | by adding Subsection (l) to read as follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (l) As a requirement for an intermediate proficiency |
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| 44 | 44 | | certificate, an officer must complete the animal encounter training |
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| 45 | 45 | | program established by the commission under Section 1701.261. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2016, the Texas |
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| 47 | 47 | | Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt the rules necessary to |
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| 48 | 48 | | establish the animal encounter training program as required by |
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| 49 | 49 | | Section 1701.261, Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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