BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 4141 By: White Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have unique needs when it comes to communication with others. Many law enforcement officers may not be capable of recognizing the symptoms and techniques needed to effectively work with this population, which may needlessly lead to confusion and a potentially hostile situation. C.S.H.B. 4141 seeks to improve interactions between law enforcement and persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia by requiring that peace officers receive specialized training on communicating with this population. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 4141 amends the Occupations Code to require that the 40-hour statewide education and training program on de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments included as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for peace officer training schools include instruction on interacting with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including techniques for recognizing symptoms, communicating effectively, employing alternatives to physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The bill requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to revise its training programs not later than April 1, 2022, as necessary to implement that requirement. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who submits an application for a peace officer license on or after that date. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2021. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 4141 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The substitute and the original both require that peace officers receive education and training on how to interact with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for officer training schools. However, whereas the original required that the training be in the form of a standalone four-hour statewide education and training program developed by TCOLE, the substitute instead requires the training to be included as part of the existing 40-hour statewide education and training program on de‑escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments. The substitute changes the deadline for the training to be in place from January 1, 2022, as in the original, to April 1, 2022, and changes the date on which the updated training requirements apply with regard to a submitted peace officer license application to reflect that deadline change.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 4141
By: White
Homeland Security & Public Safety
Committee Report (Substituted)
C.S.H.B. 4141
By: White
Homeland Security & Public Safety
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have unique needs when it comes to communication with others. Many law enforcement officers may not be capable of recognizing the symptoms and techniques needed to effectively work with this population, which may needlessly lead to confusion and a potentially hostile situation. C.S.H.B. 4141 seeks to improve interactions between law enforcement and persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia by requiring that peace officers receive specialized training on communicating with this population.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 4141 amends the Occupations Code to require that the 40-hour statewide education and training program on de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments included as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for peace officer training schools include instruction on interacting with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including techniques for recognizing symptoms, communicating effectively, employing alternatives to physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The bill requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to revise its training programs not later than April 1, 2022, as necessary to implement that requirement. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who submits an application for a peace officer license on or after that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2021.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 4141 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The substitute and the original both require that peace officers receive education and training on how to interact with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for officer training schools. However, whereas the original required that the training be in the form of a standalone four-hour statewide education and training program developed by TCOLE, the substitute instead requires the training to be included as part of the existing 40-hour statewide education and training program on de‑escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments. The substitute changes the deadline for the training to be in place from January 1, 2022, as in the original, to April 1, 2022, and changes the date on which the updated training requirements apply with regard to a submitted peace officer license application to reflect that deadline change.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have unique needs when it comes to communication with others. Many law enforcement officers may not be capable of recognizing the symptoms and techniques needed to effectively work with this population, which may needlessly lead to confusion and a potentially hostile situation. C.S.H.B. 4141 seeks to improve interactions between law enforcement and persons with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia by requiring that peace officers receive specialized training on communicating with this population.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 4141 amends the Occupations Code to require that the 40-hour statewide education and training program on de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments included as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for peace officer training schools include instruction on interacting with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, including techniques for recognizing symptoms, communicating effectively, employing alternatives to physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The bill requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to revise its training programs not later than April 1, 2022, as necessary to implement that requirement. The bill's provisions apply only to a person who submits an application for a peace officer license on or after that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2021.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 4141 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
The substitute and the original both require that peace officers receive education and training on how to interact with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for officer training schools. However, whereas the original required that the training be in the form of a standalone four-hour statewide education and training program developed by TCOLE, the substitute instead requires the training to be included as part of the existing 40-hour statewide education and training program on de‑escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments.
The substitute changes the deadline for the training to be in place from January 1, 2022, as in the original, to April 1, 2022, and changes the date on which the updated training requirements apply with regard to a submitted peace officer license application to reflect that deadline change.