81R16417 JSC-F

By: Coleman H.B. No. 3748

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3748:

By: Burnam C.S.H.B. No. 3748

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to continuing education requirements for law enforcement officers relating to interaction with persons with mental impairments.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 1701.352, Occupations Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(b) The commission shall require a state, county, special district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace officers to provide each peace officer with a training program at least once every 48 months that is approved by the commission and consists of:

(1) topics selected by the agency; and

(2) not more than 20 hours of education and training that contain curricula incorporating the learning objectives developed by the commission regarding:

(A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, and cultural diversity; [and]

(B) de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments; and

(C) unless determined by the agency head to be inconsistent with the officer's assigned duties:

(i) the recognition and documentation of cases that involve child abuse or neglect, family violence, and sexual assault; and

(ii) issues concerning sex offender characteristics.

(g) The training and education program on de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments under Subsection (b)(2)(B):

(1) must be not less than eight hours every 48 months; and

(2) may not be provided as an online course.

SECTION 2. The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education shall modify the training program required by Section 1701.352(b), Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, and ensure that the modified program is available not later than January 1, 2010.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.