An act to amend Section 13515.27 of the Penal Code, relating to peace officers.
Summary
AB 1013 would amend Penal Code Section 13515.27, which governs continuing behavioral health training for peace officers. The bill keeps the existing requirement that the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) maintain a classroom-based, instructor-led course on law enforcement interactions with people experiencing mental illness, intellectual disability, or substance use disorders, and it adds explicit authority for POST to partner with local departments of behavioral health, community-based organizations, or nonprofit organizations to develop and update the course.
The bill also changes the training obligation from a course that is merely made available to eligible officers into one that must be completed by law enforcement officers at the rank of supervisor or below who are assigned to patrol duties or supervise patrol officers. The course must remain at least three hours and cover topics such as stigma, indicators of behavioral health conditions, de-escalation, appropriate language, available resources, and the perspectives of affected individuals and families. The bill includes a state-reimbursement provision if the Commission on State Mandates determines the measure creates reimbursable state-mandated costs.
Impact
AB 1013 would strengthen and formalize California’s peace officer behavioral health training requirements by making completion mandatory for the covered officer group and by expanding POST’s authority to collaborate with behavioral health agencies and community organizations. In practical terms, it would affect local law enforcement agencies by requiring officers to complete the course and by potentially increasing training administration and implementation costs. The bill also preserves the possibility of state reimbursement for mandated local costs under existing procedures if the measure is found to impose a reimbursable mandate.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill has been received favorably in committee, with a 9-0 do-pass vote and a recommendation to place it on the consent calendar. No committee transcript is provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader opposition or support arguments. Overall, the measure appears to have bipartisan or at least noncontroversial committee-level support, likely because it builds on an existing training framework rather than creating an entirely new program.
Contention
The main policy issue is the shift from optional availability to a mandatory completion requirement for supervisors and patrol-related officers, which could be viewed by local agencies as an added operational burden. A second point of concern is cost: the bill expressly acknowledges that it may impose state-mandated local program costs, which raises reimbursement questions for local law enforcement agencies. On the other hand, the bill’s supporters would likely emphasize the value of improved crisis response, de-escalation, and behavioral health awareness, especially given the involvement of behavioral health departments and community-based partners.
A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 9.1-102 and 18.2-422 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 8.01-42.7 and by adding in Chapter 7.1 of Title 19.2 a section numbered 19.2-83.6:1, relating to law-enforcement officers; restrictions on wearing of facial coverings; exceptions; civil liability; penalty.