SRC-JJJ S.B. 325 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 325
76R4346 JMC-DBy: Ellis
Jurisprudence
2/23/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law requires only certain judges to take courses in family
violence training.  Due to an abundance of cases involving family violence,
sexual assault, and child abuse, there has been an increase in judges and
judicial officers hearing cases involving these offenses.  Often these
judges do not have the background or judicial training that is required to
be an effective arbiter of these types of cases.  This bill would require
all judges and judicial officers to attend courses involving family
violence training, unless they certify they do not hear such cases. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 325 extends the requirement for judicial instruction
related to family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse to certain
judges and judicial personnel. 

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 Section 22.110, Government Code, by amending Subsection
(b) and adding Subsection (e), to require rules to require the judges and
judicial officers set forth in this section to complete a certain number of
hours of training within the judge's first term of office or first four
years of service and to provide a method for certification of completion of
that training.  Requires the rules to require each judge and judicial
officer to complete an additional three hours of training during each
additional term or four years of service.  Requires the court of criminal
appeals or the court's designee to report the name of a judge or judicial
officer who does not fulfill the training requirements to the State
Commission on Judicial Conduct. 

SECTION 2.  (a)  Effective date: August 31, 1999.  Requires each judge or
justice in office on   August 31, 1999 to complete the training required by
Section 22.110, Government  Code, notwithstanding the requirement that the
training be completed within the  first term of office or first four years
of service.  Provides that the judge or justice in office on August 31,
1999 completes the training before the judge begins another term or the
judicial officer begins another year of service. 

(b)  Establishes that a judge or judicial officer who takes office on or
after September 1, 1999, is required to satisfy the requirements set forth
in Section 22.110, Government Code in the person's first term or first four
years. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.