86R12492 YDB-F
By: Reynolds, White, Wu, Allen, Miller H.B. No. 3409
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requirements for training regarding trauma for judges,
prosecuting attorneys, correctional officers, and law enforcement
officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.1102 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.1102. JUDICIAL TRAINING RELATED TO TRAUMA. (a) The
court of criminal appeals shall assure that judicial training
related to trauma is provided.
(b) The court of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules
necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The rules
must require each district judge, judge of a statutory county
court, or judge of a county court to complete at least eight hours
of the training within the judge's first term of office and provide
a method for certification of completion of that training. The
training must be dedicated to issues related to trauma and the
impact of trauma to enable each judge to identify individuals who
have experienced traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and
refer those individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health
care professional for treatment. The rules must exempt from the
training requirement of this subsection each judge or judicial
officer who files an affidavit stating that the judge or judicial
officer does not hear any criminal cases.
(c) In adopting the rules, the court of criminal appeals may
consult with the supreme court and with professional groups and
associations in the state that have expertise in the subject matter
to obtain the recommendations of those groups or associations for
instruction content.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 22.1115 to read as follows:
Sec. 22.1115. TRAINING FOR PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS RELATED TO
TRAUMA. The court of criminal appeals shall provide to prosecuting
attorneys training related to trauma and the impact of trauma to
enable each prosecuting attorney to identify individuals who have
experienced traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and
refer those individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health
care professional for treatment.
SECTION 3. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 493.032 to read as follows:
Sec. 493.032. TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING FOR CORRECTIONAL
OFFICERS. The department shall require each correctional officer
employed by the department to complete, during the officer's first
24 months of service, not less than 8 hours of training related to
trauma and the impact of trauma to enable each officer to identify
inmates who have experienced traumatic events, minimize
re-traumatization, and refer those inmates to the appropriate
medical or mental health care professional for treatment.
SECTION 4. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (p) to read as follows:
(p) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the
commission shall require each officer to complete not less than
eight hours of training related to trauma and the impact of trauma
to enable each officer to identify individuals who have experienced
traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and refer those
individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health care
professional for treatment.
SECTION 5. (a) Not later than December 1, 2019, the court
of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules necessary to provide the
training required by Section 22.1102, Government Code, as added by
this Act.
(b) A judge who is in office on the effective date of this
Act must complete the training required by Section 22.1102,
Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1,
2020.
SECTION 6. The court of criminal appeals shall make the
training described by Section 22.1115, Government Code, as added by
this Act, available to prosecuting attorneys not later than January
1, 2020.
SECTION 7. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall
make the training described by Section 493.032, Government Code, as
added by this Act, available to correctional officers not later
than January 1, 2020.
SECTION 8. Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the training program
required by Section 1701.253(p), Occupations Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.