BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 533

By: Paxton

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In 2018, an infant from Frisco named Ellie Davis died suddenly at day care. This tragedy showcased the need for peace officers to receive basic training on responding to and investigating child fatalities, which would allow peace officers to properly assess and document these situations. S.B. 533 seeks to address this issue by providing for training for peace officers on responding to and investigating child fatalities.

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

ANALYSIS

S.B. 533 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for preparatory and advanced courses and programs for schools to train peace officers, reserve law enforcement officers, county jailers, recruits, or telecommunicators, to require a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer to complete a training program on responding to and investigating child fatalities, including the protocols for reporting and investigating child fatalities developed by the child fatality review team committee, the differences between sudden unexpected infant death and sudden infant death syndrome, and the relevant regulations applicable to child-care facilities. The bill requires TCOLE to establish the training program not later than January 1, 2024, and requires an officer to complete the training program not later than the second anniversary of the date the officer is licensed unless the officer completes the program as part of the officer's basic training course. These provisions apply only to a person who submits an application for a peace officer license on or after January 1, 2024. A person who submits an application before that date is governed by the law in effect immediately before the bill's effective date, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.