1-1 By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 225
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 16, 1995; January 18, 1995,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
1-4 April 28, 1995, reported favorably, as amended, by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 28, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: West
1-7 Amend S.B. No. 225 in SECTION 2 by adding the following to Section
1-8 415.034 Subsection (b)(2)(B) Government Code before the words "the
1-9 recognition and documentation of cases that involve the following":
1-10 "unless determined by the agency head to be inconsistent with the
1-11 officer's assigned duties,"
1-12 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-13 AN ACT
1-14 relating to requiring law enforcement officers to receive training
1-15 in documentation techniques for certain cases.
1-16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-17 SECTION 1. Section 415.032, Government Code, is amended by
1-18 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
1-19 follows:
1-20 (b) In establishing requirements under this section, the
1-21 commission shall require courses and programs to provide training
1-22 in the investigation and documentation of cases that involve the
1-23 following:
1-24 (1) child abuse;
1-25 (2) child neglect;
1-26 (3) family violence; and
1-27 (4) sexual assault.
1-28 (d) Training in documentation of cases required by
1-29 Subsection (b) shall include instruction in:
1-30 (1) making a written account of the extent of injuries
1-31 sustained by the victim of an alleged offense;
1-32 (2) recording by photograph or videotape the area in
1-33 which an alleged offense occurred and any injuries sustained by the
1-34 victim; and
1-35 (3) recognizing and recording any statement of a
1-36 victim that may be admissible as evidence in a future proceeding
1-37 concerning the matter about which the statement was made.
1-38 SECTION 2. Section 415.034, Government Code, is amended by
1-39 amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
1-40 follows:
1-41 (b) The commission shall require a state, county, special
1-42 district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace
1-43 officers to provide each peace officer with a training program
1-44 every 24 months. The course must:
1-45 (1) be approved by the commission; and
1-46 (2) include education and training in:
1-47 (A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, and
1-48 cultural diversity; and
1-49 (B) the recognition and documentation of cases
1-50 that involve the following:
1-51 (i) child abuse;
1-52 (ii) child neglect;
1-53 (iii) family violence; and
1-54 (iv) sexual assault.
1-55 (g) Training in documentation of cases required by
1-56 Subsection (b) shall include instruction in:
1-57 (1) making a written account of the extent of injuries
1-58 sustained by the victim of an alleged offense;
1-59 (2) recording by photograph or videotape the area in
1-60 which an alleged offense occurred and any injuries sustained by the
1-61 victim; and
1-62 (3) recognizing and recording any statement of a
1-63 victim that may be admissible as evidence in a future proceeding
1-64 concerning the matter about which the statement was made.
1-65 SECTION 3. (a) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
1-66 Standards and Education shall establish the new courses and
1-67 programs required under Sections 415.032 and 415.034, Government
1-68 Code, as amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 1996.
2-1 (b) For persons who are peace officers on September 1, 1995,
2-2 the first set of courses required under Section 415.034, Government
2-3 Code, as amended by this Act, must be completed before September 1,
2-4 1997.
2-5 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-10 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-11 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-12 * * * * *