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89(R) HB 2103 - Engrossed version - Bill Text
89R9170 JBD-D
By: Ashby
H.B. No. 2103
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the adoption of a mental health leave policy for certain
jailers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 614.015, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 614.015. MENTAL HEALTH LEAVE FOR PEACE OFFICERS
,
JAILERS,
AND TELECOMMUNICATORS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the
state or of a political subdivision of the state authorized by law
to employ peace officers.
(2) "Telecommunicator" means a person authorized to
act as a telecommunicator under Section 1701.405, Occupations Code.
(3) "Jailer" means:
(A)
a county jailer as defined by Section
1701.001, Occupations Code; or
(B)
an employee of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice who performs a security, custodial, or supervisory
function over the admittance, confinement, or discharge of
prisoners.
(b) Each law enforcement agency, and each agency of the
state or of a political subdivision of the state that employs a
jailer or
full-time telecommunicator, shall develop and adopt a
policy allowing the use of mental health leave by the peace
officers
, jailers,
and full-time telecommunicators, as applicable,
employed by the agency who experience a traumatic event in the scope
of that employment.
(c) A mental health leave policy adopted under this section
must:
(1) provide clear and objective guidelines
establishing the circumstances under which a peace officer
, jailer,
or telecommunicator is granted and may use mental health leave;
(2) entitle a peace officer
, jailer,
or
telecommunicator to mental health leave without a deduction in
salary or other compensation;
(3) enumerate the number of mental health leave days
available to a peace officer
, jailer,
or telecommunicator; and
(4) detail the level of anonymity for a peace officer
,
jailer,
or telecommunicator who takes mental health leave.
(d) A mental health leave policy adopted under this section
may provide a list of mental health services available to peace
officers
, jailers,
and telecommunicators in the area of the law
enforcement or employing agency.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, each agency required to adopt a mental health leave
policy under Section 614.015, Government Code, as amended by this
Act, shall adopt a mental health leave policy as prescribed by that
section.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.