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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements for training regarding trauma for judges, |
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prosecuting attorneys, correctional officers, and law enforcement |
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officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 22.1102 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22.1102. JUDICIAL TRAINING RELATED TO TRAUMA. (a) The |
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court of criminal appeals shall assure that judicial training |
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related to trauma is provided. |
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(b) The court of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules |
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necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The rules |
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must require each district judge, judge of a statutory county |
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court, or judge of a county court to complete at least eight hours |
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of the training within the judge's first term of office and provide |
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a method for certification of completion of that training. The |
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training must be dedicated to issues related to trauma and the |
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impact of trauma to enable each judge to identify individuals who |
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have experienced traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and |
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refer those individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health |
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care professional for treatment. The rules must exempt from the |
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training requirement of this subsection each judge or judicial |
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officer who files an affidavit stating that the judge or judicial |
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officer does not hear any criminal cases. |
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(c) In adopting the rules, the court of criminal appeals may |
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consult with the supreme court and with professional groups and |
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associations in the state that have expertise in the subject matter |
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to obtain the recommendations of those groups or associations for |
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instruction content. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 22.1115 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 22.1115. TRAINING FOR PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS RELATED TO |
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TRAUMA. The court of criminal appeals shall provide to prosecuting |
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attorneys training related to trauma and the impact of trauma to |
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enable each prosecuting attorney to identify individuals who have |
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experienced traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and |
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refer those individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health |
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care professional for treatment. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 493.032 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 493.032. TRAUMA-INFORMED TRAINING FOR CORRECTIONAL |
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OFFICERS. The department shall require each correctional officer |
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employed by the department to complete, during the officer's first |
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24 months of service, not less than 8 hours of training related to |
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trauma and the impact of trauma to enable each officer to identify |
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inmates who have experienced traumatic events, minimize |
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re-traumatization, and refer those inmates to the appropriate |
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medical or mental health care professional for treatment. |
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SECTION 4. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (p) to read as follows: |
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(p) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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commission shall require each officer to complete not less than |
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eight hours of training related to trauma and the impact of trauma |
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to enable each officer to identify individuals who have experienced |
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traumatic events, minimize re-traumatization, and refer those |
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individuals to the appropriate medical or mental health care |
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professional for treatment. |
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SECTION 5. (a) Not later than December 1, 2019, the court |
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of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules necessary to provide the |
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training required by Section 22.1102, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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(b) A judge who is in office on the effective date of this |
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Act must complete the training required by Section 22.1102, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1, |
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2020. |
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SECTION 6. The court of criminal appeals shall make the |
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training described by Section 22.1115, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, available to prosecuting attorneys not later than January |
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1, 2020. |
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SECTION 7. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall |
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make the training described by Section 493.032, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, available to correctional officers not later |
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than January 1, 2020. |
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SECTION 8. Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas |
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Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the training program |
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required by Section 1701.253(p), Occupations Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |