By Noriega                                             H.B. No. 546
         77R2463 YDB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to judicial training in ethnic and racial sensitivity.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 22.111 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 22.111.  JUDICIAL TRAINING RELATED TO ETHNIC AND RACIAL
 1-7     SENSITIVITY. (a)  The court of criminal appeals shall adopt rules
 1-8     requiring training of judges in issues related to racial and ethnic
 1-9     sensitivity.
1-10           (b)  The rules must require each district judge, judge of a
1-11     statutory county court or statutory probate court, associate judge
1-12     appointed under Chapter 54 of this code or Chapter 201, Family
1-13     Code, master, referee, and magistrate to complete at least four
1-14     hours of the training within the judge's first term of office or
1-15     the judicial officer's first four years of service and provide a
1-16     method for certification of completion of that training.  The rules
1-17     must require each judge and judicial officer to complete an
1-18     additional three hours of training during each additional term in
1-19     office or four years of service.
1-20           (c)  In adopting the rules, the court of criminal appeals may
1-21     consult with professional groups and associations in the state that
1-22     have expertise in the subject matter to obtain the recommendations
1-23     of those groups or associations for instruction content.
1-24           (d)  The instruction must include information about issues
 2-1     related to cultural differences among ethnic or racial minorities.
 2-2           (e)  The court of criminal appeals or the court's designee
 2-3     shall report the name of a judge or judicial officer who does not
 2-4     comply with the requirements of this section to the State
 2-5     Commission on Judicial Conduct.
 2-6           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act takes effect August 31, 2001.  Each
 2-7     judge or judicial officer who is in office on August 31, 2001, must
 2-8     complete the judicial training required by Section 22.111,
 2-9     Government Code, as added by this Act, notwithstanding the
2-10     requirement of that section that the training be completed within
2-11     the first term of office or first four years of service. The
2-12     training must be completed before the judge or judicial officer who
2-13     is in office on August 31, 2001, begins another term of office as a
2-14     judge or completes another year of service as a judicial officer.
2-15           (b)  A judge or judicial officer who takes office on or after
2-16     September 1, 2001, and who has not otherwise satisfied the
2-17     requirements of Section 22.111, Government Code, as added by this
2-18     Act, must complete the judicial training required by that section
2-19     within the judge's first term of office that begins on or after
2-20     that date or within the judicial officer's first four years of
2-21     service.