Legislative Updates and Other Training
As we come to the end of summer, there are some interesting online learning opportunities and of course legislative updates coming up very soon before we get back into the next year of regularly-scheduled training.
We have received several calls about legislative changes. We are hard at work going through the changes to explain them to you and update materials!
Several of the Legislative Update programs still have seats left:
Beaumont (Judges, Court Personnel, & Civil Process) on August 28
Virtual Civil Process on September 10
Lubbock (Judges & Court Personnel) on September 15
Virtual Judges & Court Personnel on September 17
Some other programs have short wait lists, and you may still get a spot, but it is not guaranteed.
Sign up at www.tjctc.org/legislative.
Last Civil Process Conference of 2025
Virtual Civil Process Conference
August 19th – 22nd , 2025.
TCOLE #1415 and TCOLE #3131
Note: This will be the final TJCTC course for TCOLE Civil Process (for elected officials) #1415 for this training cycle.
Register through August 15 by logging in to your TJCTC profile at: https://enroll.tjctc.org/portal/events/reg/participantTypeSelection.do?method=load&entityId=2544790
After August 15, please email Jay Takach at jay.takach@txstate.edu if you are interested in joining.
For the next few months, we will be highlighting legislative changes each time we send out Updates.
Our first highlight is SB 2371, related to credit card skimmers on electronic terminals.
This bill created a new class c offense among other statutes related to credit card skimmers. It went into effect on May 27, 2025.
Sec. 607A.102.CRIMINAL OFFENSES. (a) A person commits an offense if the person refuses to allow an inspection of an electronic terminal at the merchant ’s place of business in violation of Section 607A.053. An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person negligently or recklessly disposes of a skimmer that was installed on an electronic terminal by another person. An offense under this subsection is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) A person commits an offense if, knowing that an investigation is ongoing or that a criminal proceeding has been commenced and is pending, the person disposes of a skimmer installed on an electronic terminal by another person. An offense under this subsection is a felony of the third degree
Upcoming Training Opportunity
TAC RMP Regional Pool Workshops
Various Dates from September 23, 2025 – October 02, 2025 (multi-day)
TAC Risk Management Pool Regional Workshops are scheduled around the state and are designed to be small, intense and topic-specific. These one-day sessions will cover the latest in risk control, human resources and law enforcement.
Who Should Attend?
Elected and appointed officials, decision-makers for the Pool, human resource directors and managers, workers’ compensation managers, and department managers or supervisors.
Registration Fees
The workshops are provided at no cost to county officials and staff.
Learn More and Register: https://www.county.org/education-and-events/calendar-of-events/2025/tac-rmp-regional-pool-workshop/overview
Online Training
TJCTC Webinar
Lunch and Learn Webinar (court personnel only):
From Lockouts to Light Switches: Understanding Writs of Re-Entry and Restoration in Texas
Tired of evictions? Bring your lunch and join us for a Lunch and Learn covering other common landlord/tenant cases like Writs of Retrieval, Re-Entry, Restoration, and Repair and Remedy. We’ll break down how to process and adjudicate these cases with practical tips and real-world insight.
This webinar is TOMORROW, Thursday, August 14th, from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.
Use this link to register now: https://txstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F4H4R5sQTgmA8C3VuQWB-w
NCSC Webinar
AI evidence in jury trials: Authenticity, admissibility, and roles of the court and juries
As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies become more prevalent, state courts are likely to encounter AI-generated evidence, such as deepfakes, reconstructed videos, and synthetic documents.
Join the TRI/NCSC AI Policy Consortium to explore the evidentiary challenges posed by both acknowledged and unacknowledged AI-generated evidence in jury trials. Panelists will examine existing legal frameworks for authentication and admissibility and provide practical guidance for judges and attorneys. Special attention will be paid to the unique responsibilities of courts and juries in evaluating the authenticity and reliability of AI-generated evidence, as well as the potential need for updated jury instructions and judicial guidance.
National Wellness Month
Did you know that August is National Wellness Month?
Take some time this month to reflect on your wellbeing as well as what you can do at the office and at home to promote wellness for your employees/coworkers and family.
Here is an article from WebMD that discusses all kinds of wellness strategies: https://www.webmdhealthservices.com/blog/august-is-national-wellness-month-lets-make-well-being-a-priority-all-year-long/
This is also a great time to do the 5 Day Challenge to Improve Your Mental Health if you haven’t already (or again if you want a refresher)!
You can find it on the TJCTC Self-Paced Modules Page – https://www.tjctc.org/onlinelearning/selfpacedmodules.html
