BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 1338
By: Moncrief (Thompson)
May 16, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

     The court of criminal appeals is responsible for the oversight
of the Judicial and Court Personnel Training Fund.  The court
disburses funds to entities that provide the training.  Although
state law requires judges and court personnel to receive training
in specific areas, the grantees are not required to provide this
legislatively mandated training.  The court is responsible for
ensuring adequate training is provided and monitoring the
performance of the grantees.

PURPOSE

     S.B. 1338 authorizes the court of criminal appeals to adopt
rules to manage and provide for education and training in the
judicial and court personnel training fund.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

     Section 1 of the bill amends Sec. 56.006 of the Government
Code to grant the court of criminal appeals to adopt rules for the
administration of programs relating to education and training for
attorneys, judges, court personnel, and justices of the peace,
including rules that require entities receiving a grant of funds to
provide legislatively required training and rules to base the
awarding of grant funds to an entity on qualitative information and
the entity's ability to meet financial performance standards.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

     SECTION 1 amends Section 56.006, Government Code, as follows:
           Sec. 56.006.  New heading: RULES; OVERSIGHT.  (a) 
     Authorizes the court of criminal appeals to adopt rules for
     programs relating to education and training for attorneys,
     judges, court personnel, and justices of the peace as provided
     by Section 56.003 and for the administration of those
     programs, including rules that require entities receiving a
     grant of funds to provide legislatively required training and
     base the awarding of grant funds to an entity on qualitative
     information about the entity's programs or services and the
     entity's ability to meet financial performance standards.
           Subsec. (b) requires the court of criminal appeals to
     monitor both the financial performance and the program
     performance of entities receiving a grant of fund under this
     chapter.

     SECTION 2.  Effective date.

     SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

     Pursuant to an announcement made on May 16, 1995, while the
House was still in session, the Committee on Judicial Affairs met
in a formal meeting on May 16, 1995.  The Chair laid out S.B. 1338
and explained.  Rep. Alonzo moved that S.B. 1338 be reported
favorably back to the full House, without amendment, with the
recommendation that it do pass, be printed and sent to the Local &
Consent Calendars Committee.  The motion prevailed by the following
record vote:  9 ayes, 0 nays, 0 PNV and 0 absent.