| 1 | 1 | | 89R11854 GP-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: DeAyala H.B. No. 2929 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to training for peace officers on interacting with persons |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | with autism spectrum disorder. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | by adding Subsection (u) to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (u) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | commission shall require an officer to complete the training |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | program established under Section 1701.273. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | amended by adding Section 1701.273 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Sec. 1701.273. TRAINING PROGRAM ON INTERACTING WITH PERSONS |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. (a) In this section, "autism |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | spectrum disorder" means: |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (1) a neurobiological disorder or developmental |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | disability that significantly affects verbal communication, |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | nonverbal communication, and social interaction and that meets the |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder specified by the |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | or a later edition; or |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (2) a diagnosis made using a previous edition of the |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of autism, |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | Asperger's syndrome, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder--Not |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Otherwise Specified. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (b) The commission by rule shall establish and maintain a |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | training program for officers on interacting with a person with |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | autism spectrum disorder. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (c) The training program must be not less than two hours. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (d) The training program must be evidence-based and include |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | the following topics: |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (1) understanding the nature of autism spectrum |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | disorder and the differing manifestations of the disorder in a |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | person, including: |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (A) identifying a person with autism spectrum |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | disorder and differentiating that person from another person who |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | does not have the disorder and who may be uncooperative or intending |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | to commit a criminal offense; |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (B) knowing how age, gender, and ethnicity affect |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | a person with autism spectrum disorder; and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (C) understanding the relationship between |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | autism spectrum disorder and criminal or otherwise antisocial |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | behavior; |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (2) effectively communicating with a person with |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | autism spectrum disorder, including best practices on: |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (A) communicating without causing the person |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | unnecessary stress; |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (B) interviewing and interrogating the person; |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | and |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | (C) de-escalating an interaction with the |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | person; |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | (3) locating a person with autism spectrum disorder |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | who has run away and may be in danger; |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | (4) recognizing the circumstances under which a person |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | with autism spectrum disorder may be abused, coerced, or criminally |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | exploited, including radicalization of the person; |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | (5) ensuring the safety of a person with autism |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | spectrum disorder who is confined in a correctional facility; and |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | (6) understanding the laws on taking a person into |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | custody and applying for emergency detention under Subtitle C, |
|---|
| 67 | 67 | | Title 7, Health and Safety Code. |
|---|
| 68 | 68 | | SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
|---|
| 69 | 69 | | of this Act, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt |
|---|
| 70 | 70 | | rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act. |
|---|
| 71 | 71 | | SECTION 4. The minimum curriculum requirements under |
|---|
| 72 | 72 | | Section 1701.253(u), Occupations Code, as added by this Act, apply |
|---|
| 73 | 73 | | only to an officer who first begins to satisfy those requirements on |
|---|
| 74 | 74 | | or after January 1, 2026. |
|---|
| 75 | 75 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|