Bill Text: TX HB4147 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to required mental health awareness training for first responders.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-09 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB4147 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB4147-Comm_Sub.html
| 86R24908 KKR-D | |||
| By: Bell of Montgomery | H.B. No. 4147 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4147: | |||
| By: Coleman | C.S.H.B. No. 4147 | ||
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| relating to required mental health awareness training for first | ||
| responders. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Chapter 786 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 786. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING | ||
| FOR FIRST RESPONDERS | ||
| Sec. 786.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "First responder" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 421.095, Government Code. | ||
| (2) "First responder training program" means a program | ||
| that provides training required for certification or licensure as a | ||
| first responder, including the training required under: | ||
| (A) Chapter 773; | ||
| (B) Chapter 419, Government Code; and | ||
| (C) Chapter 1701, Occupations Code. | ||
| Sec. 786.0002. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING REQUIRED. | ||
| (a) A person who provides to first responders and first responder | ||
| trainees a first responder training program shall: | ||
| (1) include as part of the program at least six hours | ||
| of training on mental health awareness that covers: | ||
| (A) basic mental health issues for first | ||
| responders; | ||
| (B) the impact of chronic trauma on a first | ||
| responder's duties; | ||
| (C) signs and symptoms of mental illness; and | ||
| (D) strategies for first responders to attain | ||
| wellness and resiliency; and | ||
| (2) require first responders and first responder | ||
| trainees to complete the training described by Subdivision (1) as | ||
| part of the training program. | ||
| (b) In providing the training described by Subsection (a), a | ||
| person who provides a first responder training program must use a | ||
| mental health awareness training curriculum developed or adopted | ||
| under Section 786.0003. | ||
| Sec. 786.0003. MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING | ||
| CURRICULUM. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission shall | ||
| develop or adopt a curriculum for the first responder mental health | ||
| awareness training required by Section 786.0002. The commission | ||
| shall collaborate with agencies that license or certify first | ||
| responders in the development or adoption of the curriculum. | ||
| (b) Each state agency that licenses or certifies first | ||
| responders shall ensure that the applicable first responder | ||
| training programs provided to first responders and first responder | ||
| trainees use the mental health awareness training curriculum | ||
| developed or adopted by the commission under this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Subsection (p) to read as follows: | ||
| (p) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the | ||
| commission shall require an officer to complete the mental health | ||
| awareness training curriculum developed or adopted by the Health | ||
| and Human Services Commission under Section 786.0003, Health and | ||
| Safety Code. | ||
| SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective | ||
| date of this Act: | ||
| (1) the Health and Human Services Commission shall | ||
| develop or adopt the first responder mental health awareness | ||
| training curriculum required by Section 786.0003, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, as added by this Act; and | ||
| (2) each state agency that licenses or certifies first | ||
| responders subject to Chapter 786, Health and Safety Code, as added | ||
| by this Act, shall ensure that: | ||
| (A) each first responder training program | ||
| subject to the chapter includes the mental health awareness | ||
| training and curriculum required by that chapter; and | ||
| (B) each first responder and first responder | ||
| trainee subject to the chapter completes the required training. | ||
| (b) A peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer who | ||
| holds a license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, issued on or | ||
| before January 1, 2020, shall complete the mental health awareness | ||
| training curriculum required by Section 1701.253(p), Occupations | ||
| Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2022. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
