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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to education and training for certain school district |
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peace officers and school resource officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter M, Chapter 1701, |
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Occupations Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER M. SCHOOL DISTRICT PEACE OFFICERS AND SCHOOL [VISITING] |
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RESOURCE OFFICERS [OFFICER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL] |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter M, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1701.604 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1701.604. EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM. (a) Except |
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as provided by Subsection (b), this section applies only to: |
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(1) a school district peace officer commissioned under |
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Section 37.081, Education Code; or |
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(2) a school resource officer, as defined by Section |
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1701.601. |
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(b) This section does not apply to a peace officer while the |
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peace officer is assigned to a school-sponsored event at which |
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formal classroom instruction is not offered. |
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(c) A peace officer may not serve as a school district peace |
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officer or as a school resource officer for more than 180 days |
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unless the peace officer has completed a 12-hour or longer |
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education and training program approved by the commission under |
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this section, except as provided by Subsection (d), and has |
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received a certificate under Subsection (e). This subsection |
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applies only after the commission determines that regular and |
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online education and training courses are available in the major |
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regions of this state. |
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(d) A peace officer who has received comparable education |
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and training through the Bexar County children's crisis |
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intervention training program or the Texas School Safety Center at |
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Texas State University is not required to complete the education |
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and training program approved by the commission under this section |
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to serve as a school district peace officer or school resource |
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officer. |
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(e) The commission shall issue a professional achievement |
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or proficiency certificate to a peace officer on successful |
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completion of an education and training program: |
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(1) approved by the commission under this section; or |
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(2) described by Subsection (d). |
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(f) The commission shall develop the curriculum for the |
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education and training program under this section based on: |
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(1) the model curriculum used for the Bexar County |
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children's crisis intervention training program; |
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(2) Strategies for Youth police officer training; or |
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(3) CIT for Youth training curriculum available |
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through the National Alliance on Mental Illness. |
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(g) The commission may review and revise the curriculum for |
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the program annually or as the commission determines necessary. |
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(h) The education and training program under this section |
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may be provided: |
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(1) as a collaborative model within a community that: |
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(A) involves local stakeholders; and |
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(B) incorporates didactic and experiential |
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training using the best practice model of the Bexar County |
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children's crisis intervention training program; |
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(2) by a school determined appropriate for operation |
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under Section 1701.251; or |
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(3) as an online training program sponsored by an |
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online training provider if the training provider also provides |
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training under Section 1701.251. |
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(i) A school district may offer additional |
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commission-approved preparatory education or training to its |
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school district peace officers and school resource officers. |
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(j) The superintendent of a school district that employs a |
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peace officer or to which a school resource officer is assigned |
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shall maintain on file the certification issued to the officer |
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under Subsection (e). |
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(k) Notwithstanding Section 1701.351(a), the commission may |
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not suspend the license of a peace officer solely because the peace |
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officer fails to meet the requirements of this section. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than March 31, 2014, the Commission on |
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Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education shall approve the |
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curriculum for the education and training program as required by |
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Section 1701.604, Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. Section 1701.604, Occupations Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a school district peace officer or school |
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resource officer who is serving or has been assigned, appointed, |
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commissioned, or employed by a school district to serve in that |
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capacity on or after March 31, 2014. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |