BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 1536 89R20890 EAS-D By: Zaffirini Jurisprudence 3/26/2025 Committee Report (Substituted) 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 one-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. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent) C.S.S.B. 1536 amends current law relating to training on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related disorders for certain guardians. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Supreme Court of Texas in SECTION 3 of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 155.203(b), Government Code, as follows: (b) 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 ensure that: (1) the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) is required to provide confirmation of a person's completion of the training required by Section 155.204(a)(1) (relating to requiring the supreme court to ensure that before a person is appointed guardian, the person completes a certain training course) and a copy of the person's criminal history background check to the probate court not later than the 10th day before the date of the hearing to appoint a guardian; and (2) a probate court is required to ensure a guardian's timely completion of the training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), unless the training is waived by the probate court as provided by Section 155.204(a)(3) (relating to requiring the supreme court to identify the circumstances under which a court is authorized to waive the training required under Section 155.204 (Training Required)). SECTION 2. Amends Section 155.204, Government Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows: (a) Requires the supreme court, in adopting rules under Section 155.203, to: (1) makes nonsubstantive changes to this subdivision; (2) subject to Subdivision (3) and Subsection (a-1), ensure that not later than the sixth month after the date a guardian is appointed and at least once a year after the initial training under this subdivision, the guardian completes a one-hour training course designed to educate guardians on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related disorders, including providing certain information and from a list of one or more training courses approved by JBCC and made available for free to guardians online via JBCC's Internet website; and (3) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes. (a-1) Provides that Subsection (a)(2) applies only to a guardian of the person or the estate, or both, of a ward who is 60 years of age or older or younger than 60 years of age if the ward has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or a related disorder. SECTION 3. (a) Requires the supreme court, not later than January 1, 2026, to adopt the rules required under Sections 155.203 and 155.204, 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 list of training courses required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act. (c) Requires a guardian appointed before July 1, 2026, who is required to complete the training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, notwithstanding Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act, to complete the initial training required by that section not later than January 1, 2027. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 1536
89R20890 EAS-D By: Zaffirini
Jurisprudence
3/26/2025
Committee Report (Substituted)
Senate Research Center
C.S.S.B. 1536
89R20890 EAS-D
By: Zaffirini
Jurisprudence
3/26/2025
Committee Report (Substituted)
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 one-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.
(Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)
C.S.S.B. 1536 amends current law relating to training on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related disorders for certain guardians.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Supreme Court of Texas in SECTION 3 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 155.203(b), Government Code, as follows:
(b) 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 ensure that:
(1) the Judicial Branch Certification Commission (JBCC) is required to provide confirmation of a person's completion of the training required by Section 155.204(a)(1) (relating to requiring the supreme court to ensure that before a person is appointed guardian, the person completes a certain training course) and a copy of the person's criminal history background check to the probate court not later than the 10th day before the date of the hearing to appoint a guardian; and
(2) a probate court is required to ensure a guardian's timely completion of the training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), unless the training is waived by the probate court as provided by Section 155.204(a)(3) (relating to requiring the supreme court to identify the circumstances under which a court is authorized to waive the training required under Section 155.204 (Training Required)).
SECTION 2. Amends Section 155.204, Government Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:
(a) Requires the supreme court, in adopting rules under Section 155.203, to:
(1) makes nonsubstantive changes to this subdivision;
(2) subject to Subdivision (3) and Subsection (a-1), ensure that not later than the sixth month after the date a guardian is appointed and at least once a year after the initial training under this subdivision, the guardian completes a one-hour training course designed to educate guardians on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related disorders, including providing certain information and from a list of one or more training courses approved by JBCC and made available for free to guardians online via JBCC's Internet website; and
(3) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes.
(a-1) Provides that Subsection (a)(2) applies only to a guardian of the person or the estate, or both, of a ward who is 60 years of age or older or younger than 60 years of age if the ward has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or a related disorder.
SECTION 3. (a) Requires the supreme court, not later than January 1, 2026, to adopt the rules required under Sections 155.203 and 155.204, 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 list of training courses required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act.
(c) Requires a guardian appointed before July 1, 2026, who is required to complete the training required by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, notwithstanding Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as amended by this Act, to complete the initial training required by that section not later than January 1, 2027.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.