Bill

HB 1855

84(R) - 2015
House Corrections
Read Bill & Check Bill Status
House Corrections
Criminal Justice

Vote Recommendation

Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Toni Rose

Bill Caption

Relating to training, continuing education, and weapons proficiency standards for correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

The bill would amend the Government Code to specify various requirements and standards related to training, continuing education, and weapons proficiency for correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

HB 1855 would require each correctional officer employed by TDCJ to complete 280 hours of training during the correctional officer's first 24 months of service, including mental health crisis intervention training and 140 hours of on-the-job training. The bill requires TDCJ to develop the mental health crisis intervention training in consultation with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

The bill also requires TDCJ to indicate in the correctional officer's personnel file that the officer has completed the training and establishes that a correctional officer is not required to complete training if the officer's personnel file indicates that the officer has completed such training during a previous period of employment as a correctional officer during the preceding 36 months.

The bill furthermore mandates TDCJ to require each correctional officer employed by TDCJ to complete at least 80 hours of related, continuing education programs once every 24 months.

Vote Recommendation Notes

While this bill would help promote an important and useful goal -- to help corrections officers better interact with and defend themselves from certain inmates with mental disorders -- HB 1855 carries with it an onerous burden of a high amount of required basic training and continued education hours. It seems unlikely that there would not be significant costs associated with it, despite what is reported in the fiscal note.

Due to a conflict between addressing a need in the penal system but doing so in a way that is obtrusive and over-regulated, we remain neutral.