SPONSOR: Fountain Henderson
This bill establishes "Preston's Law", which instructs peace officers and law enforcement officers on the treament of a victim's family when responding to or investigating a homicide. The bill requires next-of-kin to be allowed to visually verify the deceased within 24 hours of identification by law enforcement or the medical examiner, and specifies certain information that law enforcement must provide to next-of-kin. The bill provides circumstances under which verification may be delayed.
The bill requires the completion of certain annual training for peace officers and other law enforcement personnel involved in homicide investigation. The bill also requires law enforcement agencies to document compliance with the provisions of the bill. The bill authorizes the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission to impose consequences for violations of the provisions of the bill. The Director of Public Safety is authorized to create all rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the provisions of the bill.
The provisions of this bill go into effect January 1, 2027.
Statutes affected: