Bill Text: TX HCR92 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Urging the Texas Judicial Council to require all court professionals to be trauma-informed and trained in recognizing, evaluating, and understanding the evidence and impacts of domestic violence and child abuse.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-02 - Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar [HCR92 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HCR92-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Urging the Texas Judicial Council to require all court professionals to be trauma-informed and trained in recognizing, evaluating, and understanding the evidence and impacts of domestic violence and child abuse.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-02 - Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar [HCR92 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HCR92-Introduced.html
86R14374 CLE-F | ||
By: Miller | H.C.R. No. 92 |
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WHEREAS, State courts play an increasingly important role in | ||
assessing the risk of domestic violence and child abuse in | ||
families, and the risk to children of such violence and abuse is | ||
well documented; and | ||
WHEREAS, Research shows that more than 50,000 children | ||
annually are left in the care of an abuser following a family | ||
separation and that after a perpetrator of domestic violence | ||
separates from the family, a child's risk of abuse increases even if | ||
the perpetrator has not previously abused the child; and | ||
WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that in 30 | ||
to 60 percent of cases in which domestic violence or child | ||
maltreatment is identified in the home, children in the home have | ||
experienced both forms of abuse; and | ||
WHEREAS, According to the Domestic Violence Legal | ||
Empowerment and Appeals Project, abusive parents who are proven | ||
batterers are often granted sole or joint custody of children or | ||
given unprotected parenting time by a court over the objection of | ||
the other parent, placing children at risk of abuse; and | ||
WHEREAS, Researchers for the Center of Judicial Excellence | ||
documented the deaths in Texas since 2008 of 68 children who were | ||
murdered by a parent involved in a divorce, separation, custody, | ||
visitation, or child support proceeding; often, the court granted | ||
access to the child over the objection of a protective parent; and | ||
WHEREAS, It is critical to provide comprehensive training on | ||
domestic violence and child abuse issues to state court officials | ||
in order to better prepare them for their vital work; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby respectfully urge the Texas Judicial Council to require all | ||
court-related professionals to be trauma-informed and trained in | ||
recognizing, evaluating, and understanding the evidence and | ||
impacts of domestic violence and child abuse; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That family court professionals prioritize the | ||
safety of a child who has witnessed domestic violence or is injured | ||
or abused and resolve child safety risks and claims of family | ||
violence before taking other actions in the best interest of the | ||
child; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature schedule hearings on | ||
family court practices with regard to the objective, fair, and | ||
unbiased adjudication of children's safety and civil rights; and, | ||
be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official | ||
copies of this resolution to the clerk of the Texas Supreme Court | ||
and to the Texas Judicial Council. |