| 1 | 1 | | 89R5864 MPF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Goodwin H.B. No. 4863 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to required mental health awareness training for first |
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| 10 | 10 | | responders. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Chapter 786 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 786. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING |
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| 15 | 15 | | FOR FIRST RESPONDERS |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 786.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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| 18 | 18 | | Commission. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "First responder" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 20 | 20 | | Section 421.095, Government Code. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) "First responder training program" means a program |
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| 22 | 22 | | that provides training required for certification or licensure as a |
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| 23 | 23 | | first responder, including the training required under: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) Chapter 773; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) Chapter 419, Government Code; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (C) Chapter 1701, Occupations Code. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Sec. 786.002. REQUIRED MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (a) A person who provides to first responders and first responder |
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| 29 | 29 | | trainees a first responder training program shall: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) include as part of the program at least six hours |
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| 31 | 31 | | of training on mental health awareness that covers: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (A) the most common mental health issues first |
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| 33 | 33 | | responders experience; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (B) the impact of chronic trauma on a first |
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| 35 | 35 | | responder's duties; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (C) signs and symptoms of mental illness; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (D) strategies for first responders to attain |
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| 38 | 38 | | mental wellness and resiliency; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) require first responders and first responder |
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| 40 | 40 | | trainees to successfully complete the training described by |
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| 41 | 41 | | Subdivision (1) as part of the program. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (b) In providing the training described by Subsection (a), a |
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| 43 | 43 | | person who provides a first responder training program must use a |
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| 44 | 44 | | mental health awareness training curriculum developed or adopted |
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| 45 | 45 | | under Section 786.003. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sec. 786.003. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING CURRICULUM. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (a) The commission shall develop or adopt a curriculum for the |
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| 48 | 48 | | first responder mental health awareness training required by |
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| 49 | 49 | | Section 786.002. In developing or adopting the curriculum, the |
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| 50 | 50 | | commission shall collaborate with state agencies that certify or |
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| 51 | 51 | | license first responders. |
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| 52 | 52 | | (b) Each state agency that certifies or licenses first |
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| 53 | 53 | | responders shall ensure the applicable first responder training |
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| 54 | 54 | | program required for certification or licensure as a first |
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| 55 | 55 | | responder uses the mental health awareness training curriculum |
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| 56 | 56 | | developed or adopted by the commission under this section. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 58 | 58 | | by adding Subsection (u) to read as follows: |
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| 59 | 59 | | (u) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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| 60 | 60 | | commission shall require an officer to complete the mental health |
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| 61 | 61 | | awareness training curriculum the Health and Human Services |
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| 62 | 62 | | Commission develops or adopts under Section 786.003, Health and |
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| 63 | 63 | | Safety Code. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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| 65 | 65 | | date of this Act: |
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| 66 | 66 | | (1) the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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| 67 | 67 | | develop or adopt the first responder mental health awareness |
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| 68 | 68 | | training curriculum required by Section 786.003, Health and Safety |
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| 69 | 69 | | Code, as added by this Act; and |
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| 70 | 70 | | (2) each state agency that certifies or licenses first |
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| 71 | 71 | | responders subject to Chapter 786, Health and Safety Code, as added |
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| 72 | 72 | | by this Act, shall ensure: |
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| 73 | 73 | | (A) each first responder training program |
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| 74 | 74 | | subject to the chapter includes the mental health awareness |
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| 75 | 75 | | training and curriculum required by that chapter; and |
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| 76 | 76 | | (B) each first responder and first responder |
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| 77 | 77 | | trainee subject to the chapter completes the required training. |
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| 78 | 78 | | (b) Not later than January 1, 2028, a peace officer or |
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| 79 | 79 | | reserve law enforcement officer who holds a license issued under |
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| 80 | 80 | | Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, on or before January 1, 2026, shall |
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| 81 | 81 | | complete the mental health awareness training curriculum required |
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| 82 | 82 | | by Section 1701.253(u), Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 83 | 83 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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