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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the composition, continuation, and duties of the Sexual |
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Assault Survivors' Task Force, compensation for task force members |
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and certain other task force participants, and establishment of a |
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mandatory training program for peace officers on responding to |
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reports of child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 772.0064, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (d) and (m) and adding Subsection (n) to read |
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as follows: |
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(d) The task force is composed of the following members: |
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(1) the governor or the governor's designee; |
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(2) a representative of each state agency that has |
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duties relating to the prevention, investigation, or prosecution of |
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sexual assault or other sex offenses or provides services to |
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survivors, including: |
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(A) the office of the attorney general; [and] |
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(B) the Health and Human Services Commission; and |
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(C) the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services; |
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(3) the executive director of the Texas Commission on |
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Law Enforcement or the executive director's designee; |
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(4) the presiding officer of the Texas Forensic |
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Science Commission or the presiding officer's designee; |
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(5) the division director of the law enforcement |
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support division of the Texas Department of Public Safety with |
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authority over the Crime Laboratory Service or the division |
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director's designee; |
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(6) the president of the Texas Association of Crime |
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Laboratory Directors or the president's designee; |
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(7) the president of the Texas District and County |
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Attorney's Association or the president's designee; |
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(8) [the president of the Texas Society of |
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Pathologists or the president's designee; |
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[(9)] the president of the International Association |
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of Forensic Nurses Texas Chapter or the president's designee; |
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(9) [(10)] the president of the statewide |
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organization described by Section 264.409, Family Code, or the |
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president's designee; |
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(10) [(11)] the president of the state sexual assault |
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coalition, as defined by Section 420.003, or the president's |
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designee; |
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(11) [(12)] a representative from a law enforcement |
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agency appointed by the steering committee described by Subsection |
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(c); |
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(12) [(13)] a sexual assault nurse examiner appointed |
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by the steering committee described by Subsection (c) to represent |
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the interests of health care facilities that perform sexual assault |
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forensic exams; |
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(13) an adult survivor of child sexual abuse or the |
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parent or guardian of a survivor of child sexual abuse; |
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(14) a survivor of adult sexual assault; and |
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(15) [(14)] other members considered appropriate by |
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the steering committee described by Subsection (c). |
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(m) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the composition or |
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duration of the task force or to the designation of the task force's |
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presiding officer [This section expires September 1, 2023]. |
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(n) A task force member who is not employed by a state agency |
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or an individual invited by the governor to participate in |
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scheduled task force meetings is entitled to: |
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(1) a per diem in the amount provided by the General |
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Appropriations Act for each day the member performs duties as a task |
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force member or the individual attends a task force meeting; and |
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(2) reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses |
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incurred in performing duties as a member or participant of the task |
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force, as applicable. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (q) to read as follows: |
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(q) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the |
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commission shall require an officer to complete the basic education |
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and training program developed under Section 1701.272. An officer |
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shall complete the program not later than the last day of the first |
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full continuing education training period after the date the |
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officer is licensed under this chapter unless the officer completes |
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the program as part of the officer's basic training course. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 1701.272 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1701.272. TRAINING PROGRAM ON RESPONDING TO SEXUAL |
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ABUSE OR ASSAULT. (a) The commission shall, in consultation with |
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the Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force established under Section |
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772.0064, Government Code, establish a basic education and training |
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program on child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault, including |
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the use of best practices and trauma-informed response techniques |
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to effectively recognize, investigate, and document those cases. |
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The training program must consist of at least eight hours of |
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instruction. |
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(b) The commission shall require an officer to complete the |
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training program unless the officer has completed the training |
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under Section 1701.253(q) or other training equivalent to the |
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training program as determined by the commission. |
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SECTION 4. Section 1701.253(b-2), Occupations Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than January 1, 2024, the Texas |
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Commission on Law Enforcement shall establish the training program |
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required by Section 1701.272, Occupations Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 6. The minimum curriculum requirements under |
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Section 1701.253(q), Occupations Code, as added by this Act, apply |
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only to an officer who first begins to satisfy those requirements on |
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or after January 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |