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