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By: Gerdes, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) |
H.B. No. 1486 |
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(In the Senate - Received from the House April 17, 2023; |
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April 18, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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Criminal Justice; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by the |
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following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.) |
| Click here to see the committee vote |
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of a mental health leave policy for certain |
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telecommunicators. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 614.015, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 614.015. MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE FOR PEACE OFFICERS AND |
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TELECOMMUNICATORS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Law [, "law] enforcement agency" means an agency |
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of the state or [an agency] of a political subdivision of the state |
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authorized by law to employ peace officers. |
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(2) "Telecommunicator" means a person authorized to |
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act as a telecommunicator under Section 1701.405, Occupations Code. |
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(b) Each law enforcement agency, and each agency of the |
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state or of a political subdivision of the state that employs a |
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full-time telecommunicator, shall develop and adopt a policy |
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allowing the use of mental health leave by the peace officers and |
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full-time telecommunicators, as applicable, employed by the agency |
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who experience a traumatic event in the scope of that employment. |
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(c) A [The] mental health leave policy adopted under this |
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section must: |
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(1) provide clear and objective guidelines |
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establishing the circumstances under which a peace officer or |
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telecommunicator is granted [mental health leave] and may use |
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mental health leave; |
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(2) entitle a peace officer or telecommunicator to |
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mental health leave without a deduction in salary or other |
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compensation; |
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(3) enumerate the number of mental health leave days |
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available to a peace officer or telecommunicator; and |
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(4) detail the level of anonymity for a peace officer |
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or telecommunicator who takes mental health leave. |
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(d) A [The] mental health leave policy adopted under this |
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section may provide a list of mental health services available to |
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peace officers and telecommunicators in the area of the law |
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enforcement or employing agency. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, each agency required to adopt a mental health leave |
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policy under Section 614.015, Government Code, as amended by this |
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Act, shall adopt a mental health leave policy as prescribed by that |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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* * * * * |