| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to continuing judicial training regarding family violence |
|
|
victims. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 22.110(b), Government Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) The court of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules |
|
|
necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The rules |
|
|
must: |
|
|
(1) require each district judge, judge of a statutory |
|
|
county court, associate judge appointed under Chapter 54A of this |
|
|
code or Chapter 201, Family Code, master, referee, and magistrate |
|
|
to complete [at least 12 hours of the training] within the judge's |
|
|
first term of office or the judicial officer's first four years of |
|
|
service and provide [a method for] certification of completion of |
|
|
at least 12 hours of [that] training that includes: |
|
|
(A) at[. At] least four hours [of the training |
|
|
must be] dedicated to issues related to trafficking of persons and |
|
|
child abuse and neglect that cover [and must cover] at least two of |
|
|
the topics described in Subsections (d)(8)-(12); and |
|
|
(B) at[. At] least six hours [of the training |
|
|
must be] dedicated to the training described by Subsections (d)(5), |
|
|
(6), and (7); |
|
|
(2) [. The rules must] require each judge and judicial |
|
|
officer to complete [an additional five hours of training] during |
|
|
each additional term in office or four years of service an |
|
|
additional five hours of training that includes: |
|
|
(A) at[. At] least two hours [of the additional |
|
|
training must be] dedicated to issues related to trafficking of |
|
|
persons and child abuse and neglect; and |
|
|
(B) at least one hour dedicated to the dynamics |
|
|
of and effects on victims of family violence; |
|
|
(3) require each judge of a court having primary |
|
|
responsibility for or giving preference to family law or family |
|
|
violence matters to complete an additional two hours of training |
|
|
every two years dedicated to the dynamics of and effects on victims |
|
|
of family violence; and |
|
|
(4) [. The rules must] exempt from the training |
|
|
requirement of this subsection each judge or judicial officer who |
|
|
files an affidavit stating that the judge or judicial officer does |
|
|
not hear any cases involving family violence, sexual assault, |
|
|
trafficking of persons, or child abuse and neglect. |
|
|
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 1, 2023, the Texas |
|
|
Court of Criminal Appeals shall adopt the rules necessary to |
|
|
provide the training required under Section 22.110, Government |
|
|
Code, as amended by this Act. |
|
|
(b) Notwithstanding Section 22.110, Government Code, as |
|
|
amended by this Act, a judge, master, referee, or magistrate who is |
|
|
in office on the effective date of this Act must complete the |
|
|
training required by Section 22.110, Government Code, as amended by |
|
|
this Act, as applicable, not later than December 1, 2025. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |