By: Hull	H.B. No. 3519

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to judicial training requirements regarding family
	violence.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 22.110(b), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b)  The court of criminal appeals shall adopt the rules
	necessary to accomplish the purposes of this section. The rules
	must:
	(1)  require each district judge, judge of a statutory
	county court, associate judge appointed under Chapter 54A of this
	code or Chapter 201, Family Code, master, referee, and magistrate
	to complete [at least 12 hours of the training] within the judge's
	first term of office or the judicial officer's first four years of
	service and provide [a method for] certification of completion of
	at least 12 hours of [that] training that includes:
	(A)  at[. At] least four hours [of the training
	must be] dedicated to issues related to trafficking of persons and
	child abuse and neglect that cover [and must cover] at least two of
	the topics described in Subsections (d)(8)-(12),
	(B)  at[. At] least six hours [of the training
	must be] dedicated to the training described by Subsections (d)(5),
	(6), and (7); and
	(C)  at least one hour dedicated to the training
	described by Subsection (d) (13).
	(2)  [. The rules must] require each judge and judicial
	officer to complete [an additional five hours of training] during
	each additional term in office or four years of service an
	additional five hours of training that includes:; and
	(A)  at[. At] least two hours [of the additional
	training must be] dedicated to the training described by
	Subsections (d) (11) and (12); and
	(B)  at least one hour dedicated to the training
	described by Subsection (d) (13).
	(3)  require each judge of a court having primary
	responsibility for or giving preference to family law or family
	violence matters to complete an additional hour of training
	described by Subsection (d) (13) every two years.
	The rules must exempt from the training requirement of
	this subsection each judge or judicial officer who files an
	affidavit stating that the judge or judicial officer does not hear
	any cases involving family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of
	persons, or child abuse and neglect.
	(c)  In adopting the rules, the court of criminal appeals may
	consult with the supreme court and with professional groups and
	associations in the state that have expertise in the subject matter
	to obtain the recommendations of those groups or associations for
	instruction content.
	(d)  The instruction must include information about:
	(1)  statutory and case law relating to videotaping a
	child's testimony and relating to competency of children to
	testify;
	(2)  methods for eliminating the trauma to the child
	caused by the court process;
	(3)  case law, statutory law, and procedural rules
	relating to family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of
	persons, and child abuse and neglect;
	(4)  methods for providing protection for victims of
	family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, and child
	abuse and neglect;
	(5)  available community and state resources for
	counseling and other aid to victims and to offenders;
	(6)  gender bias in the judicial process;
	(7)  dynamics and effects of being a victim of family
	violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, or child abuse
	and neglect;
	(8)  dynamics of sexual abuse of children, including
	child abuse accommodation syndrome and grooming;
	(9)  impact of substance abuse on an unborn child and on
	a person's ability to care for a child;
	(10)  issues of attachment and bonding between children
	and caregivers;
	(11)  issues of child development that pertain to
	trafficking of persons and child abuse and neglect,; and
	(12)  medical findings regarding physical abuse,
	sexual abuse, trafficking of persons, and child abuse and neglect.
	(13)  dynamics of family violence.
	(d-1)  The sponsoring organization for any training on
	issues related to child abuse and neglect must have at least three
	years' experience in training professionals on child abuse and
	neglect issues or have personnel or planning committee members who
	have at least five years' experience in working directly in the
	field of child abuse and neglect prevention and treatment.
	(d-2)  The sponsoring organization for any training
	described by Subsection (d) (13) must develop the training in
	consultation with a statewide family violence advocacy
	organization
	SECTION 2.  (a) Not later than December 1, 2023, the Texas
	Court of Criminal Appeals shall adopt the rules necessary to
	provide the training required under Section 22.110, Government
	Code, as amended by this Act.
	(b)  Notwithstanding Section 22.110, Government Code, as
	amended by this Act, a judge, master, referee, or magistrate who is
	in office on the effective date of this Act must complete the
	training required by Section 22.110, Government Code, as amended by
	this Act, as applicable, not later than December 1, 2025.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.