1-1     By:  Noriega, Uresti (Senate Sponsor - Gallegos)       H.B. No. 546
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001;
 1-3     May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Jurisprudence; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to judicial training.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Government Code, is
1-11     amended by adding Section 22.111 to read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 22.111.  JUDICIAL TRAINING RELATED TO ETHNIC, CULTURAL,
1-13     AND RACIAL AWARENESS. (a)  The court of criminal appeals shall
1-14     adopt rules requiring training of judges in issues related to
1-15     racial, cultural, and ethnic awareness, including training
1-16     regarding relevant sections in the Code of Judicial Conduct.
1-17           (b)  The rules must require each judge subject to the Rules
1-18     of Judicial Education as promulgated by the court of criminal
1-19     appeals to complete the training within the judge's first four
1-20     years of service and to complete additional training during each
1-21     additional four years of service.
1-22           (c)  In adopting the rules, the court of criminal appeals may
1-23     consult with professional groups and associations in the state that
1-24     have expertise in the subject matter to obtain the recommendations
1-25     of those groups or associations for instruction and content.
1-26           (d)  The instruction must include information about issues
1-27     related to race fairness and ethnic and cultural awareness.
1-28           (e)  The court of criminal appeals or the court's designee
1-29     shall report the name of a judge subject to the Rules of Judicial
1-30     Education as promulgated by the court of criminal appeals who does
1-31     not comply with the requirements of this section to the State
1-32     Commission on Judicial Conduct.
1-33           SECTION 2. (a)  This Act takes effect August 31, 2001.  Each
1-34     judge who is in office on August 31, 2001, must complete the
1-35     judicial training required by Section 22.111, Government Code, as
1-36     added by this Act, notwithstanding the requirement of that section
1-37     that the training be completed within the first four years of
1-38     service.  The training must be completed before the judge who is in
1-39     office on August 31, 2001, completes another year of service.
1-40           (b)  A judge who takes office on or after September 1, 2001,
1-41     and who has not otherwise satisfied the requirements of Section
1-42     22.111, Government Code, as added by this Act, must complete the
1-43     judicial training required by that section within the judge's first
1-44     four years of service.
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