SRC-JLB H.B. 2157 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2157
By: Hartnett (Duncan)
Jurisprudence
5/9/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The 69th Texas Legislature created the Judicial and Court Personnel
Training Fund (JCPTF) to provide funds for the continuing legal education
of Texas judges.  The 76th Texas Legislature added several other
categories of persons eligible under the JCPTF, including full-time
associate judges appointed pursuant to Chapter 201, Family Code, and
full-time masters, magistrates, referees, and associate judges appointed
pursuant to Chapter 54, Government Code.  However, the 41 Title IV-D
masters, who handle child support cases, and the 10 foster-care associate
judges are excluded from the JCPTF program, despite their caseload, over
120,000 cases in FY 2002, and the sensitivity of their areas of specialty.
H.B. 2157 provides that Title IV-D masters and foster-care associate
judges are eligible for training under the JCPTF. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Sections 56.003(b) and (f), Government Code, as follows:
 
(b)  Requires that no more than one-third of the funds appropriated for
any fiscal year be used for the continuing legal education of judges of
appellate courts, district courts, county courts at law, county courts
performing judicial functions, full-time associate judges and masters
appointed pursuant to Chapter 201, rather than Section 201.001, Family
Code, and full-time masters, magistrates, referees, and associate judges
appointed pursuant to Chapter 54 as required by the court of criminal
appeals under Section 74.025 and of their court personnel. 
 
(f)  Requires the court of criminal appeals to grant legal funds to
statewide professional associations of prosecuting attorneys, criminal
defense attorneys who regularly represent indigent defendants in criminal
matters, and justices of the peace, and other entities. Requires the
association's or entity's purposes to include providing continuing legal
education, technical assistance, and other support programs. 
 
SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.