HB2756

The Jovian Motley Act, effective September 1, 2025, requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to provide de-escalation, crisis-intervention and behavioral-health training to its correctional officers and employees who directly supervise them. The training must be part of correctional officers’ preservice training and completed annually by both covered groups. This is a TDCJ requirement, not a training mandate for every county jail employee. Final law

De-escalation and crisis training must cover effective communication; alternatives to physical restraints, including availability and proper use of shields, chemical-dispensing devices and less-lethal weapons; techniques to limit force causing bodily injury; proper use of necessary resources, including lighting; cell-extraction safety; fundamental lifesaving procedures; and necessary personnel involvement. “Less-lethal” does not mean harmless, and this training requirement is not a new blanket authorization to use force.

Behavioral-health training must cover communication and intervention; awareness of behavioral-health concerns, substance-use disorders and intellectual/developmental disabilities; crisis recognition, prevention and response; suicide risk and prevention; and employee-assistance programs available to correctional officers.

TDCJ had to make the training available as soon as practicable after the effective date, no later than December 1, 2025. That is the availability deadline, not a statement that every employee had already completed it. The act does not specify a minimum number of training hours or establish a new criminal penalty.