Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

______________________________ JUDICIARY
77 th Texas Legislature
Voter Information Guide for Judicial Elections - H.B. 59
by Representative Puente
Senate Sponsor: Senator West
Authorizes the secretary of state to implement a voter information service program, by preparing a voter
information guide on judicial candidates and making the guide available on the Internet.
Judges Must Receive Racial, Cultural, and Ethnic Awareness Training - H.B. 546
by Representatives Noriega and Uresti
Senate Sponsor: Senator Gallegos
Requires the court of criminal appeals to adopt rules requiring training of judges in racial, cultural, and
ethnic awareness. The instruction must include issues related to race fairness and ethnic and cultural
awareness.
Abolishing the Office of Court Administration - H.B. 2111
by Representative Gallego
Senate Sponsor: Senator Duncan
Abolishes the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System (OCA) and transfers the powers,
duties, functions, programs, activities, funds, obligations, contracts, property, and records of OCA to the
Texas Judicial Council (TJC).
Providing for the Certification and Licensing of Court Interpreters - H.B. 2735
by Representative Thompson
Senate Sponsor: Senator Bernsen
Requires a court to appoint a certified or licensed court interpreter upon a motion for the appointment filed
by a party or if requested by a witness in a civil or criminal proceeding.
Authorizes a court, on its own motion, to appoint a certified or licensed court interpreter.
Provides that in a county with a population of less than 50,000, a court may appoint a spoken language
interpreter who is not a certified or licensed court interpreter but meets certain qualifications.
Requires the Texas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (commission) to certify court interpreters
to interpret court proceedings for hearing-impaired individuals. Requires the commission to maintain a list
of certified court interpreters and other persons qualified to act as court interpreters. This list shall be sent
to each state court.
Sets out the duties of the commission’s executive director for enforcing this Act.
Senate Research Center 182