Let’s get ready to rummmmmmmbllllllllle!!!!!!!!!!!
Month in review
It’s too hot to fish, too hot for golf, and too cold at home the Capitol building, thanks to everyone being worn out from a regular session and two special sessions combined with anticipation for the impending impeachment proceedings (assuming it starts on Tuesday as promised, which is always subject to change at the Lege). In short, there is nothing of note to report for now. (Amen!)
Still awaiting SB 22 guidance
The Comptroller’s Office plans to roll out its rules for SB 22 grants this fall. We will alert you when those proposed rules are released and the public comment period commences. Until the final rules are adopted later this year, we are in the same boat as you when it comes to authoritative answers to any questions.
Legislative Update CLEs and books
We are excited to report that more than 2,300 people have registered for our Legislative Update classes so far! If you or your employees are not included in that number, what are you waiting for? Here are the details again:
- Registration is now open for THREE in-person Legislative Update CLE courses (all attendees receive a Legislative Update book when they check in):
San Antonio (September 7): LINK
Round Rock (September 19): LINK
Fort Worth (October 6): LINK
- Our online Legislative Update CLE course is now available at https://www.tdcaa.com/training/. All registrants receive a Legislative Update book by mail, and we recommend waiting a few days for that to arrive before taking the class online. (Trust us, it will be a much better learning experience when you have the book in hand during the course.)
And speaking of books, you can order updated TDCAA code books, charging manuals, and more at our Books webpage.
Impeachment news
There’s too much content to even begin to try to summarize it here; check your media source of choice for whichever flavor of stories about it you prefer.
Anyone wanting to attend in person will need a ticket for admission to the Senate gallery; details about that are available HERE.
And for the curious, the State Senate has a dedicated webpage for all motions, orders, and filed documents relating to its role as the Court of Impeachment: https://senate.texas.gov/coi.php.
TDCAA service award nominations
Recognizing the good work being done in prosecutors’ offices is a great way to show that you value the people who work for you. To that end, TDCAA’s Investigator and Key Personnel-Victim Services Boards are accepting nominations over the next three weeks for potential recipients of the Oscar Sherell and Suzanne McDaniel Awards. For more details about how to nominate a worthy person for these awards recognizing outstanding service to our profession, click HERE.
Nominations are due Friday, September 15, 2023, so don’t delay!
Key Personnel-Victim Services Board elections
Elections for the 2024 TDCAA Key Personnel-Victim Services Board (South Central Area Regions 4 & 8 and East Area Regions 5 & 6) will be held on Thursday, November 16, 2023, at TDCAA’s Key Personnel & Victim Assistance Coordinator (KP–VAC) Conference at the Marriott Dallas/Ft Worth at Champions Circle. If you know people in your office who might be a good addition to that board, please refer them to this webpage for more information about eligibility and how to apply.
Scattershooting
Here are some recent (non-impeachment) stories you might’ve missed:
- “Judge strikes down law allowing Tennessee attorney general to argue certain death penalty cases” (AP News [free link])
- “Georgia prosecutors are suing to strike down a new state law that undermines their authority” (AP News [free link])
- “With an Array of Tactics, Conservatives Seek to Oust Progressive Prosecutors” (New York Times [free link])
- “Anonymous #txlege meme accounts are bringing comedy and commentary to the Texas Capitol” (Houston Chronicle [free link])
- “Today’s jurors are not OK (and probably don’t like you)” (Reuters [free link])
Quotes of the Month
“When I was young and I would get into an argument with somebody at school, the only people who knew about it were me and the people at school. [Now,] five hundred people know about it before you even leave school. And then you got this big war going on.”
—James Timpson, a violence prevention worker in Baltimore, as quoted in a ProPublica article on how social media contributes to increasing violence among young men.
“It’s not a criminal trial. It’s not a civil trial. It’s a political trial.”
—Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), in regard to the attorney general’s impending impeachment trial.
“Welcome to hell, your honor.”
—Dan Cogdell, criminal defense attorney representing Ken Paxton in his securities fraud case, to newly-assigned Harris County District Judge Andrea Beall after she called the case for a court hearing for the first time earlier this month.
(Watch your inbox for our next interim update at the end of September unless events warrant something sooner.)
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