BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2622 By: Metcalf Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, certain female patients being transported to a mental health or residential care facility must be accompanied by a female attendant. In testimony before the committee, a representative of the Precinct 1 Constable's office of Montgomery County identified challenges in consistently meeting this requirement. H.B. 2622 seeks to prevent unnecessary delays in patient care while maintaining necessary protections for both patients and law enforcement personnel by allowing a male attendant to transport a female patient if wearing a body worn camera that remains activated for the entire transport or if the transport vehicle is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of transport. 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 H.B. 2622 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure and Health and Safety Code to establish an exception to the requirement for a female patient to be accompanied by a female attendant during transportation to a mental health facility or residential care facility from a jail or detention facility or as ordered by a court under the Texas Mental Health Code, as applicable, if either of the following conditions apply: the patient is transported by a male attendant who is wearing a body worn camera that is activated for the duration of the patient's transport; or the vehicle in which the patient is transported is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of the patient's transport. For this purpose, "body worn camera" has the meaning assigned to the term under the body worn camera program. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2622
By: Metcalf
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2622
By: Metcalf
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, certain female patients being transported to a mental health or residential care facility must be accompanied by a female attendant. In testimony before the committee, a representative of the Precinct 1 Constable's office of Montgomery County identified challenges in consistently meeting this requirement. H.B. 2622 seeks to prevent unnecessary delays in patient care while maintaining necessary protections for both patients and law enforcement personnel by allowing a male attendant to transport a female patient if wearing a body worn camera that remains activated for the entire transport or if the transport vehicle is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of transport.
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 H.B. 2622 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure and Health and Safety Code to establish an exception to the requirement for a female patient to be accompanied by a female attendant during transportation to a mental health facility or residential care facility from a jail or detention facility or as ordered by a court under the Texas Mental Health Code, as applicable, if either of the following conditions apply: the patient is transported by a male attendant who is wearing a body worn camera that is activated for the duration of the patient's transport; or the vehicle in which the patient is transported is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of the patient's transport. For this purpose, "body worn camera" has the meaning assigned to the term under the body worn camera program.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, certain female patients being transported to a mental health or residential care facility must be accompanied by a female attendant. In testimony before the committee, a representative of the Precinct 1 Constable's office of Montgomery County identified challenges in consistently meeting this requirement. H.B. 2622 seeks to prevent unnecessary delays in patient care while maintaining necessary protections for both patients and law enforcement personnel by allowing a male attendant to transport a female patient if wearing a body worn camera that remains activated for the entire transport or if the transport vehicle is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of transport.
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
H.B. 2622 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure and Health and Safety Code to establish an exception to the requirement for a female patient to be accompanied by a female attendant during transportation to a mental health facility or residential care facility from a jail or detention facility or as ordered by a court under the Texas Mental Health Code, as applicable, if either of the following conditions apply:
the patient is transported by a male attendant who is wearing a body worn camera that is activated for the duration of the patient's transport; or
the vehicle in which the patient is transported is equipped with audio or video recording devices that actively record for the duration of the patient's transport.
For this purpose, "body worn camera" has the meaning assigned to the term under the body worn camera program.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.