BILL NUMBER: SB 29 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 15, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 23, 2015
AMENDED IN SENATE FEBRUARY 26, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Senator Beall
(Principal coauthor: Senator Mitchell)
( Coauthors: Senators
Anderson, Hancock, Leno, Monning,
and Stone )
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Chávez, Frazier, and Maienschein)
DECEMBER 1, 2014
An act to add Sections 13515.28 and 13515.29 to the Penal Code,
relating to peace officer training standards.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 29, as amended, Beall. Peace officer training: mental health.
Existing law requires specified categories of law enforcement
officers to meet training standards pursuant to courses of training
certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
(POST). Existing law requires POST to include in its basic training
course adequate instruction in the handling of persons with
developmental disabilities or mental illness, or both. Existing law
also requires POST to establish and keep updated a continuing
education classroom training course relating to law enforcement
interaction with developmentally disabled and mentally ill persons.
This bill would require POST to require field training officers
who are instructors for the field training program to have 40 hours
of promising or evidence-based behavioral health training,
as specified. The bill would also require POST to require a
20-hour evidence-based behavioral health training course
as part of its field training program 20 hours of field training
relating to law enforcement interaction with persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability, to be completed as
specified.
By requiring local law enforcement field training officers to
have 40 additional hours of training and imposing additional
training costs on local law enforcement agencies, the bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 13515.28 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13515.28. (a) (1) The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training shall require the field training officers who provide
instruction in the field training program to have 40 hours of
promising or evidence-based behavioral health training to
deescalate a situation where an officer is interacting with persons
with mental illness or intellectual disability.
(2) If an officer has completed 40 hours of promising or
evidence-based behavorial behavioral
health training, the requirement described in paragraph (1)
shall not apply. Instead, the officer is strongly encouraged to take
a four-hour behavorial behavioral
health refresher course.
(b) This promising or evidence-based behavioral health
training course shall address issues relating to stigma, shall be
culturally relevant and appropriate, and shall include all of the
following topics:
(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual
disabilities.
(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
substance use disorders.
(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
potentially dangerous situations.
(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially
emotionally distressed persons.
(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources
can be best utilized by law enforcement.
(6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
SEC. 2. Section 13515.29 is added to the Penal Code, to read:
13515.29. (a) The
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training shall require
a 20-hour evidence-based behavioral health training course
as part of its field training program 20 hours of
field training relating to law enforcement interaction with
persons with mental illness or intellectual disability to be
completed during the employing department's field training and
probationary period, but in no case later than 24 months
after the employee's appointment as an officer.
period.
(b) This evidence-based behavioral health training course shall
build on the regular basic course training requirements addressing
issues relating to stigma, shall be culturally relevant and
appropriate, and shall include all of the following topics:
(1) The cause and nature of mental illnesses and intellectual
disabilities.
(2) (A) How to identify indicators of mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
(B) How to distinguish between mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
(C) How to respond appropriately in a variety of situations
involving persons with mental illness, intellectual disability, and
substance use disorders.
(3) Conflict resolution and deescalation techniques for
potentially dangerous situations.
(4) Appropriate language usage when interacting with potentially
emotionally distressed persons.
(5) Community and state resources available to serve persons with
mental illness or intellectual disability, and how these resources
can be best utilized by law enforcement.
(6) The perspective of individuals and families with lived
experiences with persons with mental illness, intellectual
disability, and substance use disorders.
(c) The performance of trainees in the field training program
shall be demonstrated by successful resolution of a critical incident
scenario, including contact with an individual experiencing a
crisis.
SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.