| 1 | 1 | | 88R2459 JCG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 443 |
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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 education and training for peace officers on |
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| 8 | 8 | | interacting with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other |
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| 9 | 9 | | dementias. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 1701.253(j), Occupations Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (j) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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| 14 | 14 | | commission shall require an officer to complete a 40-hour statewide |
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| 15 | 15 | | education and training program on de-escalation and crisis |
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| 16 | 16 | | intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons |
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| 17 | 17 | | with mental impairments. The program must include instruction on |
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| 18 | 18 | | interacting with persons with Alzheimer's disease and other |
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| 19 | 19 | | dementias, including instruction on techniques for recognizing |
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| 20 | 20 | | symptoms, communicating effectively, employing alternatives to |
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| 21 | 21 | | physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse, neglect, or |
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| 22 | 22 | | exploitation. An officer shall complete the program not later than |
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| 23 | 23 | | the second anniversary of the date the officer is licensed under |
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| 24 | 24 | | this chapter or the date the officer applies for an intermediate |
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| 25 | 25 | | proficiency certificate, whichever date is earlier. An officer may |
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| 26 | 26 | | not satisfy the requirements of this subsection or Section |
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| 27 | 27 | | 1701.402(g) by taking an online course on de-escalation and crisis |
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| 28 | 28 | | intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons |
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| 29 | 29 | | with mental impairments. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. Not later than April 1, 2024, the Texas |
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| 31 | 31 | | Commission on Law Enforcement shall revise the commission's |
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| 32 | 32 | | education and training programs as necessary to implement the |
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| 33 | 33 | | changes in law made by this Act. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 3. Section 1701.253(j), Occupations Code, as |
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| 35 | 35 | | amended by this Act, applies only to a person who submits an |
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| 36 | 36 | | application for a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, |
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| 37 | 37 | | Occupations Code, on or after April 1, 2024. A person who submits |
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| 38 | 38 | | an application for a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, |
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| 39 | 39 | | Occupations Code, before April 1, 2024, is governed by the law in |
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| 40 | 40 | | effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the |
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| 41 | 41 | | former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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