BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 1296
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 30, 2010

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Felipe Fuentes, Chair

                    SB 1296 (Correa) - As Amended:  April 7, 2010 

          Policy Committee:                             Public  
          SafetyVote:6-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and  
          Training (POST) to meet with the Department of Veterans Affairs  
          (DVA) and other entities with expertise in the area of traumatic  
          brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to  
          assess if additional training is needed for peace officers  
          regarding returning veterans or other persons suffering from TBI  
          or PTSD. Specifically, this bill:

          1)Provides if POST determines there is a need for training on  
            TBI and PTSD, POST shall determine the most cost-efficient and  
            effective format, and upon the next regularly scheduled review  
            of a training module relating to persons with disabilities,  
            create a training DVD for peace officer first responders to  
            emergency situations on how to recognize and interact with  
            returning veterans or other persons suffering from TBI or  
            PTSD.  

          2)Requires POST to distribute, as necessary, an Internet  
            training bulletin to law enforcement agencies participating in  
            POST's program on the topic of TBI and PTSD. 

          3)Requires POST to report to the Legislature by June 30, 2012,  
            on the extent to which peace officers are receiving adequate  
            training regarding interaction with persons suffering from TBI  
            or PTSD. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          1)One-time special fund costs, in the range of $150,000, should  
            POST opt to develop the DVD training module. POST indicates  








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            these costs would be absorbable, as the proposed review and  
            module are consistent with the commission's existing mission  
            (Peace Officer Training Fund).

          2)Minor absorbable special fund costs to POST for meeting with  
            outside parties, developing and disseminating a training  
            bulletin, and reporting to the Legislature.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale.  The author contends law enforcement needs  
            additional training to deal with an increasing number of TBI  
            and PTSD cases. 

            According to the author, "TBI and PTSD have been identified as  
            the 'signature injuries' and 'silent epidemics' affecting an  
            increasing number of veterans returning from recent military  
            conflicts. It has been estimated that 300,000 Iraq and  
            Afghanistan war veterans are afflicted with PTSD. Persons with  
            TBI are often referred to as the 'walking wounded.' Their  
            injuries, mostly unnoticeable at first sight, pose certain  
            challenges to those who come in contact with them. TBI and  
            PTSD symptoms can sometimes include behaviors of anger,  
            hostility, and aggression. 

            "SB 1296 will provide the necessary tools for peace officers  
            who are first responders to emergency situations to recognize  
            and interact with returning veterans or other persons  
            suffering from TBI and PTSD." 

           2)Current law  requires POST to establish and update a continuing  
            education training course regarding law enforcement  
            interaction with mentally disabled persons. The course shall  
            be developed by POST in consultation with appropriate  
            organizations and agencies with expertise in the area of  
            mental illness and developmental disability. 

           3)Prior Legislation  . SB 1531 (Correa), Statutes of 2008,  
            requires POST to distribute electronically a course on how to  
            recognize and interact with persons with autistic spectrum  
            disorders. 



           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081 








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