HB 3434 COULD CHANGE OUR EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE
HB 3434
Spring is here! The legislative process is also in full bloom at this time. There are many bills that have been filed that if passed into law will no doubt affect the work that we do on a daily basis. However, this session one proposed bill, HB 3434, if passed into law, will definitely affect how the Texas Municipal Courts will be receiving education, even though it is the municipal courts that collect the bulk of the courts costs which are then allocated to the different grantees that train judges and court personnel. The Texas Municipal Courts Education Training Center is the grantee currently providing all of the education for the municipal Judges and court support staff.
Below is a short summary of the bill:
H.B. 3434 (Raymond)- Municipal Court Education: would: (1) prohibit the Court of Criminal Appeals from adopting rules that require judges to complete continuing judicial training more frequently than every two years; (2) create requirements for the timing and contents of judicial training; and (3) prohibit the Court of Criminal Appeals from approving an organization to sponsor continuing judicial training for judges in the state unless the organization provides training to municipal, county court, statutory county court, and district judges.
It is vitally important that each of us call, better yet, e-mail or write a letter to the committee members handling this bill. It is vitally important that each of us do our part to ensure that HB 3434 does not pass.
So, what do you need to do? First, please contact your supervisor to make them aware of HB 3434 and to make sure that your supervisor or City is okay with you making the contact with legislators. The contact should be on your own behalf, not your city, or your mayor.
Secondly, write a short letter or e-mail voicing your opposition to HB 3434. It can be as short as the following:
“I am respectfully opposed to HB 3434 as I see it as very detrimental to the judicial educational programs, particularly for the municipal courts.
Texas Municipal Courts see the largest portion of the citizenry on a daily basis. We deal with many specific issues at this level that requires that we, who work in the municipal courts, be continually up to date with the legal requirements to ensure that Justice is done on a daily basis.
Please do not pass this bill.
Your name”
This bill has been referred to the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee. Here is a link to the committee's website where its members and their contact information can be obtained: http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/committee/?committee=330
Click on the above link. Once the link is open, click on each committee member’s picture and then click on their e-mail button to send an e-mail, repeat for each committee member.
