85R21574 SMT-D
By: Giddings H.B. No. 2619
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2619:
By: Guerra C.S.H.B. No. 2619
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program administered by the governor's criminal
justice division to implement programs, practices, and services to
maintain peace officers' mental health.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 772.0073 to read as follows:
Sec. 772.0073. PEACE OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In this section:
(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the
state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state
authorized by law to employ peace officers.
(2) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal
justice division established under Section 772.006.
(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and
administer a grant program through which a law enforcement agency
may apply for a grant to implement programs, practices, and
services designed to address the direct or indirect emotional harm
suffered by peace officers employed by the law enforcement agency
in the course of the officers' duties or as the result of the
commission of crimes by other persons.
(c) Grant money awarded under this section may be used to
pay for:
(1) mental health counseling and other mental health
care;
(2) personnel costs incurred by the department as a
result of providing direct services and supporting activities under
an implemented program, practice, or service;
(3) skills training for department personnel related
to providing direct services under an implemented program,
practice, or service; and
(4) evaluation of an implemented program, practice, or
service to determine its effectiveness.
(d) Information obtained in the administration of a
program, practice, or service funded by a grant made under this
section is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
Chapter 552.
(e) A law enforcement agency may not use against a peace
officer in a departmental proceeding any information obtained in
the administration of a program, practice, or service funded by a
grant made under this section.
(f) The criminal justice division shall establish:
(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
(2) grant application procedures;
(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and
(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any
conditions of a grant.
(g) The criminal justice division shall evaluate and
compare the programs, practices, and services implemented by each
law enforcement agency that receives a grant under this section to
determine the most successful programs, practices, and services for
maintaining the mental health of peace officers.
(h) The criminal justice division may contract with a third
party to conduct the evaluations and comparison described by
Subsection (g).
(i) 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.
(j) The criminal justice division may use any available
funds to implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.