85R11232 SMT-D

By: Giddings H.B. No. 2619

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a grant program administered by the governor's criminal justice division to implement practices to maintain peace officers' mental health.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 772.0073 to read as follows:

Sec. 772.0073. PEACE OFFICER MENTAL HEALTH GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section:

(1) "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) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006.

(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and administer a grant program through which a law enforcement agency may apply for a grant to implement practices designed to maintain the mental health of peace officers employed by the law enforcement agency.

(c) The criminal justice division shall establish:

(1) eligibility criteria for grant applicants;

(2) grant application procedures;

(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;

(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and

(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any conditions of a grant.

(d) The criminal justice division shall evaluate and compare the practices implemented by each law enforcement agency that receives a grant under this section to determine the most successful practices for maintaining the mental health of peace officers.

(e) The criminal justice division may contract with a third party to conduct the evaluations and comparison described by Subsection (d).

(f) The criminal justice division shall include in the biennial report required by Section 772.006(a)(9) a detailed reporting of the results and performance of the grant program administered under this section.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.