Lena Langer and Kimberly Bliss of committee staff and the Criminal Justice Training Commission, respectively, briefed the House Community Safety Committee on HB 1400 on Jan. 27. The bill makes technical and procedural changes to statutes governing the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC), certification and commissioning of peace officers and corrections officers, and related background‑investigation requirements.

Key changes: HB 1400 would define terms “certified” and “commissioned” for CJTC purposes, replace language enabling appointment of railroad police with commissioning authority, and require applicants moving between law‑enforcement or corrections positions to comply with CJTC background investigation standards. The bill removes a statutory requirement that the administrative law judge presiding over a certification hearing issue a proposed recommendation to the five‑member final decision panel — a change sponsors say will reduce duplicative drafting, speed final orders and lower costs.

Support and clarifications: Kimberly Bliss, assistant director at CJTC, described the changes as non‑substantive clarifications aligned with current practice and said they are intended to reduce delays and costs in decertification hearings. James McMahon of the Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs testified in support but asked for assurances the bill would not expand CJTC rulemaking authority beyond statute and that temporary intra‑agency assignments would not trigger reapplication requirements. The committee closed the hearing with general support and invited follow‑up on drafting details.

Implementation and next steps: The CJTC will pursue rulemaking to adopt criteria for suitability and background checks and will prioritize access to training for sheriffs, chiefs and marshals. No committee action or vote occurred at the hearing.