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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of a mental health leave policy for certain |
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jailers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 614.015, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 614.015. MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE FOR PEACE OFFICERS, |
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JAILERS, AND TELECOMMUNICATORS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the |
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state or of a political subdivision of the state authorized by law |
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to employ peace officers. |
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(2) "Telecommunicator" means a person authorized to |
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act as a telecommunicator under Section 1701.405, Occupations Code. |
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(3) "Jailer" means: |
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(A) a county jailer as defined by Section |
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1701.001, Occupations Code; or |
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(B) an employee of the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice who performs a security, custodial, or supervisory |
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function over the admittance, confinement, or discharge of |
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prisoners. |
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(b) Each law enforcement agency, and each agency of the |
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state or of a political subdivision of the state that employs a |
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jailer or full-time telecommunicator, shall develop and adopt a |
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policy allowing the use of mental health leave by the peace |
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officers, jailers, and full-time telecommunicators, as applicable, |
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employed by the agency who experience a traumatic event in the scope |
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of that employment. |
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(c) A mental health leave policy adopted under this section |
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must: |
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(1) provide clear and objective guidelines |
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establishing the circumstances under which a peace officer, jailer, |
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or telecommunicator is granted and may use mental health leave; |
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(2) entitle a peace officer, jailer, or |
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telecommunicator to mental health leave without a deduction in |
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salary or other compensation; |
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(3) enumerate the number of mental health leave days |
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available to a peace officer, jailer, or telecommunicator; and |
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(4) detail the level of anonymity for a peace officer, |
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jailer, or telecommunicator who takes mental health leave. |
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(d) A mental health leave policy adopted under this section |
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may provide a list of mental health services available to peace |
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officers, jailers, and telecommunicators in the area of the law |
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enforcement or employing agency. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, each agency required to adopt a mental health leave |
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policy under Section 614.015, Government Code, as amended by this |
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Act, shall adopt a mental health leave policy as prescribed by that |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |