1-1 By: Shapiro S.B. No. 80
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed November 21, 1994; January 11, 1995,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
1-4 April 11, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 13,
1-5 Nays 0; April 11, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to requiring training in issues concerning sex offender
1-9 characteristics for certain judicial and law enforcement
1-10 professionals.
1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12 SECTION 1. Subsections (a) and (d), Section 22.011,
1-13 Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-14 (a) The supreme court shall provide judicial training
1-15 related to the problems of family violence, sexual assault, and
1-16 child abuse and to issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
1-17 (d) The instruction must include information about:
1-18 (1) statutory and case law relating to videotaping a
1-19 child's testimony and relating to competency of children to
1-20 testify;
1-21 (2) methods for eliminating the trauma to the child
1-22 caused by the court process;
1-23 (3) case law, statutory law, and procedural rules
1-24 relating to family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse;
1-25 (4) methods for providing protection for victims of
1-26 family violence, sexual assault, or child abuse;
1-27 (5) available community and state resources for
1-28 counseling and other aid to victims and to offenders;
1-29 (6) gender bias in the judicial process; <and>
1-30 (7) dynamics and effects of being a victim of family
1-31 violence, sexual assault, or child abuse; and
1-32 (8) issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
1-33 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 415.032, Government Code,
1-34 is amended to read as follows:
1-35 (b) In establishing requirements under this section, the
1-36 commission shall require courses and programs to provide training
1-37 in:
1-38 (1) the investigation of cases that involve the
1-39 following:
1-40 (A) <(1)> child abuse;
1-41 (B) <(2)> child neglect;
1-42 (C) <(3)> family violence; and
1-43 (D) <(4)> sexual assault; and
1-44 (2) issues concerning sex offender characteristics.
1-45 SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 415.034, Government Code,
1-46 is amended to read as follows:
1-47 (b) The commission shall require a state, county, special
1-48 district, or municipal agency that appoints or employs peace
1-49 officers to provide each peace officer with a training program
1-50 every 24 months. The course must:
1-51 (1) be approved by the commission; and
1-52 (2) include education and training in:
1-53 (A) civil rights, racial sensitivity, and
1-54 cultural diversity; <and>
1-55 (B) the recognition of cases that involve the
1-56 following:
1-57 (i) child abuse;
1-58 (ii) child neglect;
1-59 (iii) family violence; and
1-60 (iv) sexual assault; and
1-61 (C) issues concerning sex offender
1-62 characteristics.
1-63 SECTION 4. Each judge who is in office on December 31, 1995,
1-64 and is not exempt must complete the judicial training required by
1-65 Subdivision (8), Subsection (d), Section 22.011, Government Code,
1-66 as added by this Act, before August 31, 1998.
1-67 SECTION 5. (a) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
1-68 Standards and Education shall establish the new courses and
2-1 programs required by this Act not later than January 1, 1996.
2-2 (b) For persons who are officers on September 1, 1995, the
2-3 first set of courses required under Paragraph (C), Subdivision (2),
2-4 Subsection (b), Section 415.034, Government Code, as added by this
2-5 Act, must be completed before September 1, 1997.
2-6 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-12 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-13 * * * * *