AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 7, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 333

Statutes of 2024

[ Approved by Governor September 21, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State September 21, 2024. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Bains

February 13, 2024

An act to add Section 13515.40 to the Penal Code, relating to peace officer training.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

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.

This bill would require the commission, in consultation with specified subject matter experts and on or before January 1, 2026, to develop guidelines addressing wandering associated with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and dementia, as specified.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 13515.40 is added to the Penal Code, to read:

13515.40.

(a) The commission, in consultation with subject matter experts, including, but not limited to, law enforcement agencies, the Department of Justice Missing and Unidentified Persons Section, the California Health and Human Services Agency or its designee or designees, organizations with expertise in autism and wandering, organizations with expertise in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and wandering, emergency management services agencies, and public transit agencies, shall, on or before January 1, 2026, develop guidelines addressing wandering associated with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, and dementia.

(b) The guidelines shall address, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Development of law enforcement investigational checklists.

(2) Protocols for deploying law enforcement agency resources, including, but not limited to, search and rescue dogs.

(3) Protocols for developing community awareness campaigns for wandering prevention and water safety.

(4) Technological solutions regarding all of the following:

(A) Wandering prevention devices.

(B) Proactive registries.

(C) Community alert systems.

(5) Coordination and communication protocols between law enforcement agencies and all of the following:

(A) Other local law enforcement agencies.

(B) First responders, including, but not limited to, emergency management services.

(C) 911 dispatch.

(D) Hospitals.

(E) Transportation systems.