BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 598

By: Price

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that continuing legal education can help judicial officers in working with new laws and procedures and that there are funds appropriated for this purpose. There have been calls to make these funds available for part‑time judicial officers and to clarify the availability of the funds for certain full-time associate judges. H.B. 598 authorizes the use of the judicial and court personnel training fund for the continuing legal education of certain part-time masters, magistrates, referees, and associate judges and certain full-time associate judges.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 598 amends the Government Code to include the continuing legal education of part-time masters, magistrates, and referees and full-time and part-time associate judges appointed pursuant to certain Government Code provisions among the purposes for which the judicial and court personnel training fund is used.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.