ZEM S.B. 323 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CIVIL PRACTICES S.B. 323 By: Armbrister (Gray) 5-1-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND During the interim of the 74th Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor charged the Senate State Affairs Committee to review the effectiveness of the transfer of administrative hearings from individual state agencies to the State Office of Administrative Hearings. Review of the creation of the agency and its current structure revealed a need to address training requirements for future administrative law judges. There are no uniform requirements for these positions, resulting in a variance of professional qualifications for administrative law judges. S.B. 323 outlines provisions relating to judicial training and continued education for administrative law judges of the State Office of Administrative Hearings. PURPOSE S.B. 323 outlines provisions relating to judicial training and continued education for administrative law judges of the State Office of Administrative Hearings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 2003C, Government Code, by adding Section 2003.0451, as follows: Sec. 2003.0451. TRAINING. Sets forth the training requirements and provisions that the State Office of Administrative Hearings (office) is required to provide to each new administrative law judge. Sets forth areas the training is authorized to include. Provides that Subsection (a) does not apply to a temporary administrative law judge. SECTION 2. Provides that the training requirements do not apply to an administrative law judge employed on the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.