Effective Date: September 1, 2021

Requires law enforcement agencies to develop and adopt a mental health leave policy which allows paid mental health leave to peace officers who experience a traumatic event while performing their job duties. The policy must provide clear and objective guidelines when a peace officer can be granted the use of mental health leave, and it must be without a deduction in compensation. The policy must also identify the number of days available to the peace officer, and the anonymity level for taking this leave. The policy may include providing a list of mental health services available to the peace officer in their area.

A law enforcement agency, defined in Texas Government Code 614.015, includes peace officers employed by a political subdivision (i.e., school district, junior college district, county, municipality, or special district), or an agency of the state.