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.