BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1442

By: Lopez

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

As a result of spending extended periods of time in strenuous environments, military veterans can experience a multitude of mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, addiction, and anxiety. It is imperative that peace officers are trained in how to properly interact with trauma-impacted veterans as this training can divert veterans from the criminal justice system and potentially save lives. Recognizing this fact, C.S.H.B. 1442 seeks to require certain peace officers to undergo training designed to address this issue as part of their continuing education.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1442 amends the Occupations Code to require that the education and training regarding de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques to facilitate interaction with persons with mental impairments that is included as part of the continuing training program for a peace officer holding only a basic proficiency certificate to include training on identifying and interacting with trauma-impacted veterans and training on diverting those veterans to available community resources. The bill requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to adopt rules necessary to implement this requirement as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1442 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Whereas the original required a person who has completed four cumulative years of service as a peace officer to complete the trauma affected veterans training program established by TCOLE, the substitute does not. The substitute instead requires the education and training included as part of the continuing training program for a peace officer holding only a basic proficiency certificate to include training on identifying and interacting with trauma-impacted veterans and training on diverting those veterans to available community resources.

The substitute includes a provision not in the original requiring TCOLE to adopt rules to implement the bill's changes to law.