86R9731 KKR-F
 
  By: Buckingham S.B. No. 2158
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to tactical medical officers; requiring an occupational
  certificate; authorizing fees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act shall be known as the Response to Active
  Shooters Act.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 2.128 to read as follows:
         Art. 2.128.  TACTICAL MEDICAL OFFICERS. (a) A tactical
  medical officer may make arrests and exercise all authority given
  to peace officers under this code, subject to written regulations
  adopted by the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the
  officer, if the tactical medical officer acts in a manner that is
  necessary to prevent or abate the commission of an offense that
  threatens serious bodily injury to or the death of a person.
         (b)  A person may not serve as a tactical medical officer
  unless the person:
               (1)  is licensed or certified, as applicable, under:
                     (A)  Section 773.049 or 773.0495, Health and
  Safety Code; or
                     (B)  Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
               (2)  holds a license to carry a concealed handgun
  issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code;
               (3)  is certified by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement under Section 1701.2601, Occupations Code; and
               (4)  is appointed as a tactical medical officer by a law
  enforcement agency.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 411.1872 to read as follows:
         Sec. 411.1872.  NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF
  CERTAIN LICENSES: TACTICAL MEDICAL OFFICER. The department shall
  notify the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement if the department
  takes any action against the license of a person identified by the
  commission as a person certified under Section 1701.2601,
  Occupations Code, including suspension or revocation.
         SECTION 4.  Section 1701.001, Occupations Code, is amended
  by adding Subdivision (9) to read as follows:
               (9)  "Tactical medical officer" means a person who is
  appointed as a tactical medical officer under Article 2.128, Code
  of Criminal Procedure, and is certified under Section 1701.2601.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1701.2601 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1701.2601.  TACTICAL MEDICAL OFFICER CERTIFICATION;
  REQUIRED TRAINING. (a) The commission, in conjunction with the
  medical director for the Texas Department of Public Safety, shall
  develop and implement a tactical medical officer training program
  for a person to receive the certification required to be appointed
  as a tactical medical officer under Article 2.128, Code of Criminal
  Procedure. The training must be conducted by commission staff or a
  person approved by the commission to provide the training.
         (b)  Before a person may receive training under this section,
  the person must:
               (1)  hold a license to carry a concealed handgun issued
  under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code; and 
               (2)  provide the commission with the person's
  identifying information, including the person's name and date of
  birth, the address of the person's place of employment, and the
  license number of the person's license to carry a concealed handgun
  issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code.
         (c)  The tactical medical officer certification training
  program must include 80 hours of instruction designed to:
               (1)  emphasize strategies for responding to an active
  shooter incident, including securing the safety of potential
  victims and providing medical support to peace officers responding
  to a high-risk incident;
               (2)  educate a trainee about legal issues relating to
  the duties of peace officers and the use of force or deadly force to
  protect others;
               (3)  introduce a trainee to effective law enforcement
  strategies and techniques;
               (4)  improve a trainee's proficiency with the use of a
  handgun and rifle;
               (5)  improve a trainee's proficiency in providing
  effective medical care in tactical situations and to victims of an
  active shooter incident; and
               (6)  enable a trainee to respond to an emergency
  situation requiring deadly force.
         (d)  The commission, in consultation with licensed
  psychologists, shall develop and administer a psychological
  examination to a trainee to determine if the trainee is
  psychologically fit to carry out the duties of a tactical medical
  officer, including duties relating to an emergency shooting or an
  active shooter incident. The commission may not issue a tactical
  medical officer certificate to a trainee if the results of the
  examination indicate that the trainee is not psychologically fit to
  carry out the duties of a tactical medical officer.
         (e)  The commission may rely on the results of a
  psychological examination of a trainee conducted by the trainee's
  employer to determine if the trainee is psychologically fit under
  Subsection (d).
         (f)  The commission shall charge reasonable fees to cover the
  cost of:
               (1)  conducting the tactical medical officer
  certification training program; and
               (2)  issuing or renewing a tactical medical officer
  certificate.
         (g)  The commission shall issue a tactical medical officer
  certificate to a person for purposes of eligibility for appointment
  as a tactical medical officer if the person:
               (1)  satisfactorily completes the training under this
  section as determined by commission staff; and
               (2)  based on an examination under Subsection (d), is
  determined to be psychologically fit to carry out the duties of a
  tactical medical officer.
         (h)  A tactical medical officer certificate issued under
  this section expires on the certificate holder's first birthday
  occurring on or after the fourth anniversary of the date the
  certificate was issued.
         (i)  A tactical medical officer certificate issued under
  this section may be renewed if the certificate holder:
               (1)  successfully completes at least 16 hours of
  continuing education before the date of renewal; and
               (2)  satisfactorily demonstrates the certificate
  holder's handgun proficiency as determined by commission staff.
         (j)  The commission shall revoke a person's tactical medical
  officer certificate if the commission is notified by the Texas
  Department of Public Safety that the certificate holder's license
  to carry a concealed handgun issued under Subchapter H, Chapter
  411, Government Code, has been suspended or revoked. 
         (k)  If a person's tactical medical officer certificate
  expires and is not renewed or the certificate is revoked by the
  commission, the commission shall immediately report the expiration
  or revocation to:
               (1)  the director of the Texas Department of Public
  Safety;
               (2)  the person's employer; and
               (3)  as applicable:
                     (A)  if the person is employed by an emergency
  medical services provider or first responder organization located
  within a municipality, the chief law enforcement officer of the
  municipality's law enforcement agency; or
                     (B)  if the person is employed by an emergency
  medical services provider or first responder organization located
  outside of a municipality, the sheriff of the county in which the
  employer is located.
         (l)  A person whose tactical medical officer certificate
  expires or is revoked by the commission may obtain recertification
  by:
               (1)  furnishing proof to the commission that the
  person's concealed handgun license has been reinstated;
               (2)  retaking and completing the training program
  required under this section as determined by commission staff;
               (3)  paying the fee for the training program; and
               (4)  demonstrating psychological fitness by taking the
  examination required by Subsection (d).
         (m)  The commission may submit the personally identifying
  information of a tactical medical officer certificate holder that
  is obtained under Subsection (b) to:
               (1)  the director of the Texas Department of Public
  Safety;
               (2)  the person's employer; and
               (3)  as applicable:
                     (A)  if the person is employed by an emergency
  medical services provider or first responder organization located
  within a municipality, the chief law enforcement officer of the
  municipality's law enforcement agency; or
                     (B)  if the person is employed by an emergency
  medical services provider or first responder organization located
  outside of a municipality, the sheriff of the county in which the
  employer is located.
         (n)  Personally identifying information about a person that
  is provided by the person to the commission under this section or
  that is provided to a person described by Subsection (m) is
  confidential and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,
  Government Code.
         (o)  The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
  this section.
         SECTION 6.  Section 1701.301, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1701.301.  LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE REQUIRED. (a)
  Except as provided by Sections 1701.310, 1701.311, and 1701.405, a
  person may not appoint or employ a person to serve as an officer,
  county jailer, school marshal, public security officer, or
  telecommunicator unless the person holds an appropriate license
  issued by the commission.
         (b)  A person may not be appointed as a tactical medical
  officer under Article 2.128, Code of Criminal Procedure, unless the
  person holds a tactical medical officer certificate issued by the
  commission under this section. 
         SECTION 7.  The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall
  establish a tactical medical officer certification training
  program as required by Section 1701.2601, Occupations Code, as
  added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2020.
         SECTION 8.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall adopt
  rules necessary to implement Section 1701.2601, Occupations Code,
  as added by this Act.
         SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.