BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1536 89R5250 EAS-D By: Zaffirini Jurisprudence 3/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Family-member guardians often care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and dementia but lack the necessary training to manage these conditions. While Texas law requires them to complete training before appointment, it does not include dementia-specific education, leaving many unprepared to recognize symptoms, communicate effectively, and provide appropriate care. S.B. 1536 would address this gap by requiring a three-hour training on Alzheimer's and dementia care for family-member guardians. This course would cover early signs of dementia, best practices for communication, and strategies to support affected persons while preserving their rights and dignity. By incorporating dementia education into the required training, S.B. 1536 would ensure that family-member guardians are better prepared to care for loved ones with cognitive decline. Providing this training online at no cost makes it more accessible, reducing barriers and improving the quality of care for persons under guardianship. As proposed, S.B. 1536 amends current law relating to training on dementia and Alzheimer's disease for certain guardians. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Supreme Court of Texas in SECTION 2 of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as follows: (a) Requires the Supreme Court of Texas (supreme court), in adopting rules under Section 155.203 (Duty to Provide Assistance in Qualifying Guardians; Supreme Court Rulemaking), to: (1) makes nonsubstantive changes to this subdivision; (2) subject to Subdivision (3) (relating to requiring the supreme court to identify the circumstances under which a court is authorized to waive the training required under this section), ensure that not later than the sixth month after the date a guardian is appointed and at least once a year, the guardian completes a three-hour training course designed by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) to educate guardians on dementia and Alzheimer's disease, including providing certain information, and made available for free to guardians by JBCC online via JBCC's Internet website; and (3) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes. SECTION 2. (a) Requires the supreme court to, not later than January 1, 2026, adopt the rules necessary to provide the training required under Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act. (b) Requires JBCC, not later than July 1, 2026, to make available on JBCC's Internet website the course required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act. (c) Requires a guardian appointed before July 1, 2026, notwithstanding Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act, to complete the initial training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, not later than September 1, 2026. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1536
89R5250 EAS-D By: Zaffirini
Jurisprudence
3/17/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 1536
89R5250 EAS-D
By: Zaffirini
Jurisprudence
3/17/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Family-member guardians often care for persons with Alzheimer's disease and dementia but lack the necessary training to manage these conditions. While Texas law requires them to complete training before appointment, it does not include dementia-specific education, leaving many unprepared to recognize symptoms, communicate effectively, and provide appropriate care.
S.B. 1536 would address this gap by requiring a three-hour training on Alzheimer's and dementia care for family-member guardians. This course would cover early signs of dementia, best practices for communication, and strategies to support affected persons while preserving their rights and dignity.
By incorporating dementia education into the required training, S.B. 1536 would ensure that family-member guardians are better prepared to care for loved ones with cognitive decline. Providing this training online at no cost makes it more accessible, reducing barriers and improving the quality of care for persons under guardianship.
As proposed, S.B. 1536 amends current law relating to training on dementia and Alzheimer's disease for certain guardians.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Supreme Court of Texas in SECTION 2 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as follows:
(a) Requires the Supreme Court of Texas (supreme court), in adopting rules under Section 155.203 (Duty to Provide Assistance in Qualifying Guardians; Supreme Court Rulemaking), to:
(1) makes nonsubstantive changes to this subdivision;
(2) subject to Subdivision (3) (relating to requiring the supreme court to identify the circumstances under which a court is authorized to waive the training required under this section), ensure that not later than the sixth month after the date a guardian is appointed and at least once a year, the guardian completes a three-hour training course designed by the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) to educate guardians on dementia and Alzheimer's disease, including providing certain information, and made available for free to guardians by JBCC online via JBCC's Internet website; and
(3) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes.
SECTION 2. (a) Requires the supreme court to, not later than January 1, 2026, adopt the rules necessary to provide the training required under Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act.
(b) Requires JBCC, not later than July 1, 2026, to make available on JBCC's Internet website the course required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act.
(c) Requires a guardian appointed before July 1, 2026, notwithstanding Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act, to complete the initial training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, not later than September 1, 2026.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.