BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1443
87R5923 JCG-D	By: Lopez; Cason (Men�ndez)
	Criminal Justice
	5/14/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

It has been reported that roughly one out of every 10 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have been arrested since returning home from deployment. There are concerns that jail staff may not be adequately trained to interact with these inmates, who often require additional care due to trauma resulting from their military service.

H.B. 1443 seeks to ensure that veterans in the criminal justice system are treated with dignity and respect by requiring licensed county jailers to take a one-time training program on interacting with veterans in the criminal justice system.

H.B. 1443 amends current law relating to county jailer training on interacting with veterans in the criminal justice system.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1701.310, Occupations Code, by adding Subsection (g), as follows:

(g)  Requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to require a county jailer who has been licensed as a county jailer for more than one year to complete a one-time training program on interacting with veterans in the criminal justice system.� Authorizes a county jailer to complete the training program as an online course.

SECTION 2.  (a)� Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies to a county jailer licensed under Chapter 1701 (Law Enforcement Officers), Occupations Code, regardless of whether the license was issued before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

(b)  Requires a county jailer who, as of the effective date of this Act, has been licensed as a county jailer for more than one year to complete the training program described by Section 1701.310(g), Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2023.

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2021.