Bill Text: TX SB664 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to procedures for peace officers and emergency medical services personnel who respond to calls involving an alleged or suspected act of strangulation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-08 - Left pending in committee [SB664 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB664-Introduced.html
87R2495 JRR-D | ||
By: Powell | S.B. No. 664 |
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relating to procedures for peace officers and emergency medical | ||
services personnel who respond to calls involving an alleged or | ||
suspected act of strangulation. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is | ||
amended by adding Article 2.33 to read as follows: | ||
Art. 2.33. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO CALLS INVOLVING | ||
ALLEGED OR SUSPECTED ACT OF STRANGULATION. (a) In this article: | ||
(1) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the | ||
meaning assigned by Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code. | ||
(2) "Strangulation" means impeding the normal | ||
breathing or circulation of the blood of a person by applying | ||
pressure to the person's throat or neck or by blocking the person's | ||
nose or mouth. | ||
(b) A peace officer who responds to a call for service that | ||
involves an alleged or suspected act of strangulation shall: | ||
(1) request assistance from emergency medical | ||
services personnel to evaluate and render aid to the victim of | ||
strangulation; | ||
(2) use the checklist developed under Section | ||
1701.165, Occupations Code, in providing appropriate assistance to | ||
the victim; and | ||
(3) provide the victim with referral information to | ||
the appropriate support agency for purposes of receiving additional | ||
assistance. | ||
(c) The peace officer's report regarding the incident must | ||
thoroughly document the following: | ||
(1) the name, identification number, employment | ||
agency, and unit number of all emergency medical services personnel | ||
providing assistance under Subsection (b); | ||
(2) victim and witness accounts of the suspect's | ||
behavior, actions, and any comments made during the act of | ||
strangulation; | ||
(3) the officer's observations regarding the suspect's | ||
behavior, actions, and any comments made after the officer's | ||
arrival on the scene; and | ||
(4) the referral information given to the victim under | ||
Subsection (b)(3). | ||
(d) Emergency medical services personnel providing | ||
assistance under Subsection (b) shall conduct a medical evaluation | ||
and assessment of the victim. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1701.165 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1701.165. CHECKLIST FOR PEACE OFFICERS RESPONDING TO | ||
CALLS INVOLVING ALLEGED OR SUSPECTED ACT OF STRANGULATION. (a) In | ||
this section, "strangulation" has the meaning assigned by Article | ||
2.33, Code of Criminal Procedure. | ||
(b) The commission shall develop and make available to all | ||
law enforcement agencies in this state a checklist to assist peace | ||
officers in evaluating an alleged or suspected act of strangulation | ||
and providing assistance to the victim of strangulation. | ||
SECTION 3. (a) Not later than December 1, 2021, the Texas | ||
Commission on Law Enforcement shall develop and make available the | ||
checklist required by Section 1701.165, Occupations Code, as added | ||
by this Act. | ||
(b) A peace officer is not required to comply with Article | ||
2.33(b)(2), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act, until | ||
January 1, 2022. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |