Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB35 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R16215 CXP-F
2	2	By: Thompson H.B. No. 35
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to a peer support network for first responders.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 106, Education Code, is amended by
12	12	adding Subchapter E and a heading is added to that subchapter to
13	13	read as follows:
14	14	SUBCHAPTER E. FIRST RESPONDER PEER SUPPORT NETWORK
15	15	SECTION 2. Sections 1701.621, 1701.622, 1701.624, and
16	16	1701.626, Occupations Code, are transferred to Subchapter E,
17	17	Chapter 106, Education Code, as added by this Act, redesignated as
18	18	Sections 106.71, 106.72, 106.73, and 106.74, Education Code,
19	19	respectively, and amended to read as follows:
20	20	Sec. 106.71 [1701.621]. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
21	21	(1) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the
22	22	meaning assigned by Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code.
23	23	(2) "Firefighter" means a firefighter who is a
24	24	permanent, paid employee of the fire department of a political
25	25	subdivision. The term does not include a volunteer firefighter.
26	26	(3) "First responder" means emergency medical
27	27	services personnel, a firefighter, or a law enforcement officer.
28	28	(4) "Law enforcement officer" means a person who is
29	29	[identified as] a peace officer under Article 2A.001 [2.12(1), (2),
30	30	(3), or (4)], Code of Criminal Procedure.
31	31	(5) [(2)] "Peer" means a person who is a first
32	32	responder [law enforcement officer] or retired first responder [law
33	33	enforcement officer].
34	34	(6) "University" means Texas Southern University.
35	35	Sec. 106.72 [1701.622]. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a)
36	36	The university [commission] shall develop a first responder peer
37	37	support network [for law enforcement officers]. The network must
38	38	include:
39	39	(1) peer-to-peer support;
40	40	(2) training for peer service coordinators and peers
41	41	that includes suicide prevention training;
42	42	(3) technical assistance for program development,
43	43	peer service coordinators, licensed mental health professionals,
44	44	and peers; and
45	45	(4) identification, retention, and screening of
46	46	licensed mental health professionals.
47	47	(b) As part of the first responder peer support network [for
48	48	law enforcement officers], the university [commission]:
49	49	(1) shall ensure first responders [law enforcement
50	50	officers] have support in both urban and rural jurisdictions
51	51	through the establishment of regional peer support hubs; and
52	52	(2) may establish a program to connect first
53	53	responders with clinical resources at no cost to the first
54	54	responders.
55	55	(c) The university [commission] shall solicit and ensure
56	56	that specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and
57	57	who want to provide peer-to-peer support and other peer-to-peer
58	58	services under the network.
59	59	[(d) The commission may adopt rules necessary to implement
60	60	this subchapter.]
61	61	Sec. 106.73 [1701.624]. CONFIDENTIALITY OF PARTICIPANT
62	62	INFORMATION. Information relating to a first responder's [law
63	63	enforcement officer's] participation in peer-to-peer support and
64	64	other peer-to-peer services under the network is confidential and
65	65	[may] not subject to disclosure [be disclosed] under Chapter 552,
66	66	Government Code[, by:
67	67	[(1) the commission;
68	68	[(2) a law enforcement agency that employs a law
69	69	enforcement officer participant; or
70	70	[(3) any other state agency or political
71	71	subdivision in this state that employs a law enforcement officer
72	72	participant].
73	73	Sec. 106.74 [1701.626]. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than
74	74	December 1 of each year, the university [commission] shall submit a
75	75	report to the governor and the legislature that includes:
76	76	(1) the number of first responders [law enforcement
77	77	officers] who received peer support through the [peer support]
78	78	network [for law enforcement officers];
79	79	(2) the number of peers and peer service coordinators
80	80	trained, including the number of active peers and peer service
81	81	coordinators and the retention rate of peers and peer service
82	82	coordinators;
83	83	(3) the number of vacant regional director positions
84	84	and the average length of time each position has been vacant;
85	85	(4) the number and types of community engagement
86	86	events and outreach activities hosted by the network to promote
87	87	first responder awareness and use of the network;
88	88	(5) the number of critical incident responses and
89	89	wellness interventions facilitated by the network;
90	90	(6) an evaluation of the services provided under this
91	91	subchapter; and
92	92	(7) [(4)] recommendations for program improvements.
93	93	SECTION 3. Section 419.036, Government Code, is amended by
94	94	adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
95	95	(e) The commission may not take disciplinary action against
96	96	a regulated person based on the person's participation in
97	97	peer-to-peer support and other peer-to-peer services and may not
98	98	consider the person's participation during any disciplinary
99	99	proceeding under this chapter.
100	100	SECTION 4. Section 773.061, Health and Safety Code, is
101	101	amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
102	102	(f) The department may not take disciplinary action against
103	103	a person described by Subsection (a)(1) based on the person's
104	104	participation in peer-to-peer support and other peer-to-peer
105	105	services and may not consider the person's participation during any
106	106	disciplinary proceeding under this chapter.
107	107	SECTION 5. Section 1701.625, Occupations Code, is
108	108	transferred to Subchapter K, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code,
109	109	redesignated as Section 1701.5015, Occupations Code, and amended to
110	110	read as follows:
111	111	Sec. 1701.5015 [1701.625]. PROTECTIONS RELATED TO
112	112	LICENSURE. The commission may not take disciplinary action under
113	113	Section 1701.501 against an officer based on the [A law
114	114	enforcement] officer's participation in peer-to-peer support and
115	115	other peer-to-peer services and [under the network] may not
116	116	consider the officer's participation during[:
117	117	[(1) serve as the basis for a revocation, suspension,
118	118	or denial of a license issued under this chapter; or
119	119	[(2) be considered in] any disciplinary proceeding
120	120	[related to the officer's licensure] under this chapter.
121	121	SECTION 6. The following provisions of the Occupations Code
122	122	are repealed:
123	123	(1) Section 1701.623; and
124	124	(2) the heading to Subchapter M-1, Chapter 1701.
125	125	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.