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SB 2213

Relating to procedures regarding certain persons who are or may be persons with a mental illness or intellectual or developmental disability.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Judith Zaffirini

Texas bill modifies criminal justice procedures for individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities, affecting evaluation, court processing, and treatment diversion protocols statewide.

Referred to Criminal Justice
#alcoholism&drugabuse(i0030) #civilcommitment(s0002) #countygovernment--general(i0096) #courts--general(i0160) #crimes--drugs(i0185) #criminalprocedure--bail&pretrialrelease(i0202) #criminalprocedure--general(i0208) #disabilities #personswith(i0380) #healthcareproviders(i0387) #incapacitatedpersons(s0353) #lawenforcement #texascommissionon(v0986) #lawenforcement(i0510) #mentalincompetency(s0019) #mentalhealth&substanceabuse(i0019)
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Bill Summary · SB 2213

Legislative bill overview

SB 2213 modifies Texas procedures for handling individuals with mental illness or intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) within the criminal justice system. The bill appears to establish or revise protocols for evaluating, treating, and processing these individuals through courts and law enforcement, though specific procedural changes require the full bill text for detailed analysis.

Why is this important

How states handle mentally ill and developmentally disabled individuals in the criminal justice system affects hundreds of thousands of people annually. These procedures determine whether individuals receive treatment diversion, appropriate court accommodations, or incarceration—with significant implications for public safety, healthcare costs, and human outcomes.

Potential points of contention

  • Commitment standards vs. due process: Balancing faster intervention for vulnerable individuals against protecting civil liberties and preventing unnecessary institutional confinement
  • Funding and resource allocation: Whether counties/state will adequately fund mental health courts, evaluations, and treatment alternatives versus jail diversion
  • Law enforcement training requirements: Potential costs and feasibility of training police to identify and appropriately respond to individuals with mental illness or IDD during encounters

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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