By Shapiro S.B. No. 80
74R2066 PEP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to requiring training in issues concerning sex offender
1-3 characteristics for certain judicial and law enforcement
1-4 professionals.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Sections 22.011(a) and (d), Government Code, are
1-7 amended to read as follows:
1-8 (a) The supreme court shall provide judicial training
1-9 related to the problems of family violence, sexual assault, and
1-10 child abuse and to issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
1-11 (d) The instruction must include information about:
1-12 (1) statutory and case law relating to videotaping a
1-13 child's testimony and relating to competency of children to
1-14 testify;
1-15 (2) methods for eliminating the trauma to the child
1-16 caused by the court process;
1-17 (3) case law, statutory law, and procedural rules
1-18 relating to family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse;
1-19 (4) methods for providing protection for victims of
1-20 family violence, sexual assault, or child abuse;
1-21 (5) available community and state resources for
1-22 counseling and other aid to victims and to offenders;
1-23 (6) gender bias in the judicial process; <and>
1-24 (7) dynamics and effects of being a victim of family
2-1 violence, sexual assault, or child abuse; and
2-2 (8) issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
2-3 SECTION 2. Section 415.032(b), Government Code, is amended
2-4 to read as follows:
2-5 (b) In establishing requirements under this section, the
2-6 commission shall require courses and programs to provide training
2-7 in:
2-8 (1) the investigation of cases that involve the
2-9 following:
2-10 (A) <(1)> child abuse;
2-11 (B) <(2)> child neglect;
2-12 (C) <(3)> family violence; and
2-13 (D) <(4)> sexual assault; and
2-14 (2) issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
2-15 SECTION 3. Section 415.034(b), Government Code, is amended
2-16 to read as follows:
2-17 (b) The commission shall require a state, county, special
2-18 district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace
2-19 officers to provide each peace officer with a training program
2-20 every 24 months. The course must:
2-21 (1) be approved by the commission; and
2-22 (2) include education and training in:
2-23 (A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, and
2-24 cultural diversity; <and>
2-25 (B) the recognition of cases that involve the
2-26 following:
2-27 (i) child abuse;
3-1 (ii) child neglect;
3-2 (iii) family violence; and
3-3 (iv) sexual assault; and
3-4 (C) issues concerning sex offender
3-5 characteristics.
3-6 SECTION 4. Each judge who is in office on December 31, 1995,
3-7 and is not exempt must complete the judicial training required by
3-8 Section 22.011(d)(8), Government Code, as added by this Act, before
3-9 August 31, 1998.
3-10 SECTION 5. (a) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
3-11 Standards and Education shall establish the new courses and
3-12 programs required by this Act not later than January 1, 1996.
3-13 (b) For persons who are officers on September 1, 1995, the
3-14 first set of courses required under Section 415.034(b)(2)(C),
3-15 Government Code, as added by this Act, must be completed before
3-16 September 1, 1997.
3-17 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
3-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-22 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-23 passage, and it is so enacted.