AB 921

Under current law, the Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB) creates a

training program that most law enforcement officers and tribal officers are required

to complete. Current law requires the program to include some specialized training,

including training in handling domestic abuse situations, training on emergency

detention standards, awareness of Alzheimer's and other dementia-related

diseases, responses to terrorist acts, and cultural diversity and sensitivity.

Under current law, the Department of Health Services (DHS) may license a

person as an emergency medical technician or certify a person as a first responder

if the person satisfactorily completes a course of instruction and training or

otherwise demonstrates that he or she is sufficiently trained and educated in

emergency care. Current law requires specialized training in responses to terrorist

acts and allows DHS to set additional qualification requirements and to promulgate

rules for specialized training.

This bill requires LESB and DHS to develop, by rule, a portion of the training

program for law enforcement officers and tribal officers and the course of instruction

and training for emergency medical technicians and first responders, that includes

specialized training in recognizing and interacting with persons who have suffered

a traumatic brain injury or who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Under

the bill, LESB and DHS may operate their training program and course of

instruction under emergency rule authority until the permanent rules are

promulgated.