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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to training requirements for juvenile correctional |
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officers employed by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 242.009(b), Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall provide competency-based training |
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to each juvenile correctional officer employed by the department, |
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which must include on-the-job training. The department shall |
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provide each juvenile correctional officer with at least 240 [300] |
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hours of training and the officer must demonstrate competency in |
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the trained subjects [, which must include on-the-job training,] |
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before the officer independently commences the officer's duties at |
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the facility. Each officer must complete at least 300 hours of |
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training in the officer's first year of employment. The training |
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must provide the officer with information and instruction related |
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to the officer's duties, including information and instruction |
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concerning: |
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(1) the juvenile justice system of this state, |
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including the juvenile correctional facility system; |
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(2) security procedures; |
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(3) the supervision of children committed to the |
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department; |
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(4) signs of suicide risks and suicide precautions; |
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(5) signs and symptoms of the abuse, assault, neglect, |
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and exploitation of a child, including sexual abuse, sexual |
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assault, and human trafficking, and the manner in which to report |
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the abuse, assault, neglect, or exploitation of a child; |
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(6) the neurological, physical, and psychological |
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development of adolescents; |
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(7) department rules and regulations, including |
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rules, regulations, and tactics concerning the use of force; |
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(8) appropriate restraint techniques; |
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(9) the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (42 U.S.C. |
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Section 15601, et seq.); |
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(10) the rights and responsibilities of children in |
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the custody of the department; |
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(11) interpersonal relationship skills; |
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(12) the social and cultural lifestyles of children in |
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the custody of the department; |
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(13) first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation; |
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(14) counseling techniques; |
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(15) conflict resolution and dispute mediation, |
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including de-escalation techniques; |
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(16) behavior management; |
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(17) mental health issues; |
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(18) employee rights, employment discrimination, and |
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sexual harassment; and |
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(19) trauma-informed care. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a juvenile correctional officer hired by the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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juvenile correctional officer hired before the effective date of |
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this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the |
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effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |