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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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qualified employees. |
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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 QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES |
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OF CERTAIN AGENCIES [PEACE OFFICERS AND TELECOMMUNICATORS]. (a) |
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In this section: |
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(1) "Peace officer" means an individual described by |
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Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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(2) "Qualified agency" ["Law enforcement agency"] |
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means an agency of the state or of a political subdivision of the |
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state authorized [by law] to employ a peace officer [officers]. |
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(3) "Qualified employee" means: |
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(A) a peace officer; |
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(B) a telecommunicator; |
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(C) a criminal intelligence analyst; or |
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(D) a crime analyst. |
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(4) [(2)] "Telecommunicator" means a person |
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authorized to act as a telecommunicator under Section 1701.405, |
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Occupations Code. |
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(b) Each qualified agency [law enforcement agency, and each |
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agency of the state or of a political subdivision of the state] that |
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employs a qualified employee [a full-time telecommunicator,] shall |
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develop and adopt a policy allowing the use of mental health leave |
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by the qualified employee [peace officers and full-time |
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telecommunicators, as applicable, employed by the agency] who |
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experiences [experience] a traumatic event in the scope of that |
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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 qualified employee |
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[peace officer or telecommunicator] is granted and may use mental |
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health leave; |
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(2) entitle a qualified employee [peace officer 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 qualified employee [peace officer or |
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telecommunicator]; and |
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(4) detail the level of anonymity for a qualified |
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employee [peace officer or telecommunicator] who takes mental |
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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 a |
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qualified employee [peace officers and telecommunicators in the |
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area of the law 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. |