Committee advances bill requiring POST to adopt reporting policy for force that causes serious bodily injury

Senate Bill 128 was reported favorably, as amended, by the House Criminal Justice Committee on June 2, 2025, directing the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to adopt a mandatory reporting policy for law enforcement uses of physical force that result in serious bodily injury.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Gary Carter, told the committee the measure “requires the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training to adopt a policy regarding use of force against a member of the public,” and that stakeholders had narrowed the definition of reportable force to “those that cause serious bodily injury.”

The committee’s amendment set — described in the hearing as Amendment Set 3918 — limits mandatory reporting to incidents in which physical force results in serious bodily injury, removes a criminal penalty for failing to file a report, and deletes a requirement that the reports be public records subject to the public‑records law. Committee staff read the amended operative language into the record: “No later than 01/01/2026, the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training shall adopt a policy regarding mandatory reporting when a peace officer uses physical force that results in serious bodily injury on a member of the public, whether or not the interaction results in an arrest.”

During discussion, committee members and witnesses said many agencies already have force‑reporting policies but practices and definitions vary. A representative identified in the hearing as Miss Dearman said departments “absolutely have policies for reporting,” while the sponsor and staff said the bill’s aim is to create a uniform statewide policy through POST so the report’s triggers and required reporters are consistent across agencies.

Representative Cox moved to report the bill as amended. Representative Horton objected; the committee then took a roll call and voted to report SB 128 as amended by a vote of 11 yeas and 1 nay. The roll call recorded Representative Knox, Representative LaFleur and Representative Walters among the yeas; Representative Horton cast the lone no vote. The clerk announced: “The yeas are 11 and the nays are 1.”

The amendment and the committee’s action leave several implementation details to POST, including who must complete a report and the exact triggering thresholds. The amended bill text specifies an adoption deadline of January 1, 2026, and indicates that agencies may adopt more stringent reporting policies if they choose.

The committee packet did not contain every amendment version; members noted that some changes adopted in Senate committee were not engrossed into the paper copies in the room, and one committee member said she was using multiple electronic devices to compare versions.

Next steps: with the committee’s favorable report, SB 128 will proceed in the House process with the adopted amendments; POST will be required to adopt the policy by the statutory deadline.