Second verse, same as the first?
Review, preview
The First Called Session of the 88th Legislature ended just after lunchtime on Tuesday, June 27, and the governor kicked off Round Two by 3:00 p.m. that same day and with the same issues on the call. Legislators had nothing to show for their work in the first 30-day special session, so let’s see if anything changes this time. If nothing else, the fact that the House didn’t pass two bills and adjourn sine die on the first day of this current special session, like they did the previous time, is a positive sign for the optimists out there.
Impeachment news
The Senate rules for the impeachment trial include a type of gag order on the participants that has had its desired effect, so all was quiet on this front this week.
Legislative Update CLEs and books
TDCAA will offer our Legislative Update course online in August of 2023, before (most of) the 88th Legislature’s new laws go into effect. Checking our Training webpage next month for details on when that online course will become available.
For those of you who prefer in-person training, we will offer a live Legislative Update presentation on Tuesday, September 19, in Round Rock immediately prior to the start of our Annual Criminal & Civil Law Conference being held that week at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center. To register online for the Legislative Update course—which requires a separate registration from the Annual Conference—click HERE.
We are also taking online pre-orders for all of our updated code books which will be shipped out starting in August. To order your updated books, visit our Publications webpage.
Prosecutor Trial Skills Course
Due to ongoing construction at the Austin Sheraton Hotel that was scheduled to host next month’s 2023 Trial Skills Course (aka “Baby Prosecutor Boot Camp”), we have moved the conference to the downtown Austin Hilton. We still have spots (and rooms) available for those who would like to attend this course at this fantastic venue during the week of July 9–14, so click HERE to learn more or to sign up your lawyers for this great opportunity.
NEW: Civil Practitioner Boot Camp
Speaking of boot camps, we are offering a brand new training course for our civil practitioners this summer! TDCAA’s inaugural Civil Practitioner Boot Camp will be held July 24–26 in Waco. This course will apply our tried-and-true Prosecutor Trial Skills Course model to the everyday civil problems encountered by prosecutors who work in government representation. We are still accepting registrations for this new course, so click HERE for more information or to register.
Scattershooting
Here are some recent stories you might’ve missed:
- “Arizona Gov. Hobbs strips county attorneys of abortion prosecution authority” (Axios)
- “Despite promise of ‘total transparency,’ secrecy will be a big part of Ken Paxton impeachment trial” (Texas Tribune)
- “House Members Receive Full Month’s Per Diem Despite Working Less Than 1 Day” (Texas Scorecard)
- “Supreme Court to weigh right of accused domestic abusers to own guns” (NBC News)
- “New Texas laws favor parents in child abuse investigations as legislators try to limit number of kids in foster care” (Texas Tribune)
Quotes of the Week
“Oh my gosh, the students love handcuffs. And I mean that in the most positive and educational way possible.”
—Ryann Kaaa-Bauer, a teacher at Huntsville High School’s criminal justice program that was recently profiled by The Marshall Project, when asked to describe her students’ favorite activity.
“[Caseworkers] show up and interrogate parents and they try to collect evidence like getting medical records, interviewing children, requiring drug tests, threatening them. That’s what a cop does. … We’re saying, ‘OK, if you’re going to act like a police officer, we’re going to start treating you like one and now you’re going to have to give everybody their rights.’”
—Julia Hatcher, family law attorney from Galveston, explaining the rationale behind one of the many changes made to CPS investigations this session.
“It is a very fair question to ask: Why is this so hard to get done?”
—Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project, as quoted in a Dallas Morning News article about the negative impact the property tax relief stalemate is having on GOP favorability ratings.
“This seems like a rerun of a movie that we’ve seen before.”
—State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen), ahead of a Senate floor vote for property tax reform on the first day of the Second Called Session.
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