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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to suicide prevention in municipal jails. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 361, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 361.902 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 361.902. SUICIDE PREVENTION IN MUNICIPAL JAIL. (a) A |
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municipal jail shall: |
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(1) provide two hours of training to each jailer or |
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person responsible for the supervision of a person confined in the |
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jail on the procedures for identifying, documenting, and handling a |
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person who is potentially suicidal or has a mental health |
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condition; |
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(2) conduct and document mental health screenings |
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during the intake process in accordance with the procedures adopted |
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by the Commission on Jail Standards for county jails; |
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(3) install cameras in the hall directly outside the |
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cell of any person who is identified as potentially suicidal; |
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(4) regularly check on each person confined in the |
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jail who is identified as potentially suicidal; and |
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(5) report to the attorney general, in the manner |
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prescribed by the attorney general, any incident involving the |
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suicide or attempted suicide of a person confined in the jail not |
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later than 48 hours after the incident. |
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(b) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to a municipal jail |
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that requires individuals described by that subdivision to complete |
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a municipal jailer training or certification course as a condition |
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of employment. |
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(c) The attorney general may use the information reported |
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under Subsection (a)(5) only for purposes of data collection and |
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analysis. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |