Starting in 2021, newly hired corrections officers will be required to undergo a certification process.
HB 2499 sets forth new requirements for corrections officers working in adult jails and detention facilities. Under this bill, corrections officers are required to complete a ten-week basic corrections officer training through the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC). The training requirements apply to corrections officers who are hired on or after July 1, 2021, as well as former corrections officers who have had a break from employment of more than 24 consecutive months.
The bill also establishes standards for revoking an individual’s certification, including:
- Failing to timely meet all requirements for obtaining a certificate of basic corrections training or a certificate of exemption from training;
- Knowingly falsifying or omitting material information on an application for training or certification to the commission;
- Receiving final discharge for disqualifying misconduct; and
- Interfering with an investigation.
HB 2499 passed both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor for signature.