85R27012 JCG-D
By: Davis of Harris, Guerra, Burkett H.B. No. 2467
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2467:
By: Price C.S.H.B. No. 2467
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program to support the provision of critical
incident stress debriefing to certain peace officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 772.0074 to read as follows:
Sec. 772.0074. CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS DEBRIEFING GRANT
PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
(1) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
justice division established under Section 772.006.
(2) "Critical incident" means an incident involving a
peace officer that occurs while the officer is performing official
duties and that results in serious bodily injury to the officer or
poses a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death to the
officer or of serious harm to the officer's mental health or
well-being.
(3) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the
state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state that is
authorized by law to employ peace officers.
(4) "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by
Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and
administer a grant program to assist law enforcement agencies in
providing critical incident stress debriefing to peace officers who
experience critical incidents while performing official duties.
(c) The criminal justice division may award a grant under
this section to:
(1) a law enforcement agency for the agency to provide
critical incident stress debriefing to peace officers employed by
the agency; or
(2) any other agency or organization to assist the
agency or organization in providing support for the grant program,
including support related to the development, implementation,
management, or evaluation of the grant program, as determined
necessary by the division.
(d) A law enforcement agency that receives a grant under
this section must:
(1) inform each peace officer employed by the agency
about:
(A) the program, including opportunities to
participate in the program; and
(B) if the officer participates in the program,
the confidentiality protections described by Subsection (e); and
(2) certify in writing that the agency will not use
disciplinary action or any other form of punishment, including the
refusal of a promotion, to discourage or prohibit an officer's
participation in the critical incident stress debriefing offered by
the agency.
(e) Critical incident stress debriefing provided using
money distributed under the grant program is subject to the
confidentiality protections provided under Section 784.003, Health
and Safety Code.
(f) The criminal justice division shall establish:
(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
(2) grant application procedures;
(3) procedures for evaluating grant applications;
(4) the minimum qualifications necessary for a person
to conduct critical incident stress debriefing that is provided
using money distributed under the grant program; and
(5) guidance for the development of critical incident
stress debriefing curricula, materials, and best practices.
(g) The criminal justice division shall include in the
biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) a detailed
reporting of the results and performance of the grant program
administered under this section.
SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2017, the criminal
justice division of the governor's office shall establish the grant
program required by Section 772.0074, Government Code, as added by
this Act, and, not later than January 1, 2018, shall begin to award
grants under the program.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.