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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the continuation and duties of the Sexual Assault |
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Survivors' Task Force and establishment of a mandatory training |
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program for peace officers on responding to reports of child sexual |
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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(m), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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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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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 second anniversary of |
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the date the officer is licensed under this chapter unless the |
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officer completes the program as part of the officer's basic |
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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 by rule shall require an officer to |
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complete the training program unless the officer has completed the |
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training under Section 1701.253(q) or other training equivalent to |
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the 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. Section 1701.253(q), Occupations Code, as added |
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by this Act, applies only to a person who submits an application for |
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a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, on or |
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after January 1, 2024. A person who submits an application for a |
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peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, before |
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January 1, 2024, is governed by the law in effect immediately before |
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the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |