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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a grant program to assist law |
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enforcement agencies with the purchase of opioid antagonists. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 772, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 772.0078 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 772.0078. OPIOID ANTAGONIST GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "Criminal justice division" means the criminal |
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justice division established under Section 772.006. |
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(2) "Opioid antagonist" and "opioid-related drug |
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overdose" have the meanings assigned by Section 483.101, Health and |
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Safety Code. |
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(b) The criminal justice division shall establish and |
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administer a grant program to provide financial assistance to a law |
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enforcement agency in this state that seeks to provide opioid |
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antagonists to peace officers, evidence technicians, and related |
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personnel who, in the course of performing their duties, are likely |
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to come into contact with opioids or encounter persons suffering |
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from an apparent opioid-related drug overdose. |
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(c) A law enforcement agency may apply for a grant under |
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this section only if the agency first adopts a policy addressing the |
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usage of an opioid antagonist for a person suffering from an |
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apparent opioid-related drug overdose. |
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(d) In an application for a grant under this section, the |
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law enforcement agency shall provide information to the criminal |
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justice division about the frequency and nature of: |
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(1) interactions between peace officers and persons |
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suffering from an apparent opioid-related drug overdose; |
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(2) calls for assistance based on an apparent |
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opioid-related drug overdose; and |
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(3) any exposure of peace officers, evidence |
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technicians, or related personnel to opioids or suspected opioids |
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in the course of performing their duties and any reactions by those |
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persons to those substances. |
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(e) A law enforcement agency receiving a grant under this |
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section shall, as soon as practicable after receiving the grant, |
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provide to the criminal justice division proof of purchase of the |
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opioid antagonists. |
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(f) The criminal justice division may use any money |
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available for purposes of this section. |
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SECTION 2. The criminal justice division of the governor's |
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office is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the criminal justice division of the governor's office |
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may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using |
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other appropriations available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |