Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1536 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Zaffirini, Menéndez S.B. No. 1536
2		-
3		-
	1	+	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1536
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed February 21, 2025; March 6, 2025,
	3	+	read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
	4	+	March 31, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
	5	+	Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; March 31, 2025,
	6	+	sent to printer.)
	7	+	Click here to see the committee vote
	8	+	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1536 By: Johnson
4	9
5	10
6	11		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	12		AN ACT
8	13		relating to training on Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and related
9	14		disorders for certain guardians.
10	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	16		SECTION 1. Section 155.203(b), Government Code, is amended
12	17		to read as follows:
13	18		(b) In adopting rules under this section, the supreme court
14	19		shall ensure that:
15	20		(1) the commission is required to provide confirmation
16	21		of a person's completion of the training required by Section
17	22		155.204(a)(1) and a copy of the person's criminal history
18	23		background check to the probate court not later than the 10th day
19	24		before the date of the hearing to appoint a guardian; and
20	25		(2) a probate court is required to ensure a guardian's
21	26		timely completion of the training required by Section
22	27		155.204(a)(2), unless the training is waived by the probate court
23	28		as provided by Section 155.204(a)(3).
24	29		SECTION 2. Section 155.204, Government Code, is amended by
25	30		amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
26	31		follows:
27	32		(a) In adopting rules under Section 155.203, the supreme
28	33		court shall:
29	34		(1) subject to Subdivision (3) [(2)], ensure that
30	35		before a person is appointed guardian, the person completes a
31	36		training course:
32	37		(A) designed by the commission to educate
33	38		proposed guardians about their responsibilities as guardians,
34	39		alternatives to guardianships, supports and services available to
35	40		the proposed ward, and a ward's bill of rights under Section
36	41		1151.351, Estates Code; and
37	42		(B) made available for free to proposed guardians
38	43		by the commission online via the commission's Internet website and,
39	44		on request, in a written format; [and]
40	45		(2) subject to Subdivision (3) and Subsection (a-1),
41	46		ensure that not later than the sixth month after the date a guardian
42	47		is appointed and at least once a year after the initial training
43	48		under this subdivision, the guardian completes a one-hour training
44	49		course:
45	50		(A) designed to educate guardians on Alzheimer's
46	51		disease, dementia, and related disorders, including providing
47	52		information about:
48	53		(i) common aspects of aging;
49	54		(ii) warning signs of dementia and
50	55		Alzheimer's disease;
51	56		(iii) effective strategies for
52	57		communicating with a person who is diagnosed with dementia or
53	58		Alzheimer's disease; and
54	59		(iv) effective strategies for supporting a
55	60		person who is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer's disease in
56	61		exercising the person's rights; and
57	62		(B) from a list of one or more training courses
58	63		approved by the commission and made available for free to guardians
59	64		online via the commission's Internet website; and
60	65		(3) identify the circumstances under which a court may
61	66		waive the training required under this section.
62	67		(a-1) Subsection (a)(2) applies only to a guardian of the
63	68		person or the estate, or both, of a ward who is:
64	69		(1) 60 years of age or older; or
65	70		(2) younger than 60 years of age if the ward has been
66	71		diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or a related
67	72		disorder.
68	73		SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026, the Texas
69	74		Supreme Court shall adopt the rules required under Sections 155.203
70	75		and 155.204, Government Code, as amended by this Act.
71	76		(b) Not later than July 1, 2026, the Judicial Branch
72	77		Certification Commission shall approve and make available on the
73	78		commission's Internet website the list of training courses required
74	79		by Section 155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act.
75	80		(c) Notwithstanding Section 155.204(a), Government Code, as
76	81		amended by this Act, a guardian appointed before July 1, 2026, who
77	82		is required to complete the training required by Section
78	83		155.204(a)(2), Government Code, as amended by this Act, shall
79	84		complete the initial training required by that section not later
80	85		than January 1, 2027.
81	86		SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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