Monitoring the Session

SB 866

judges can skip family violence training by affidavit

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Carol AlvaradoDSenate 6

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to judicial training requirements regarding family violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and child abuse.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Just swear you don’t hear those cases.

The bill tells the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to change its training rules so that judges, including associate judges, can skip the required training on family violence, sexual assault, trafficking and child abuse. A judge qualifies by filing an affidavit saying they do not hear those kinds of cases. Judges who do hear those cases still have to take the training, and the change starts September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 22, 2025 and referred to the Senate Criminal Justice committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB866 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Sen. Carol AlvaradoDSenate 6

ITEM

relating to judicial training requirements regarding family violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and child abuse.

WHAT IT DOES

Just swear you don’t hear those cases.

The bill tells the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to change its training rules so that judges, including associate judges, can skip the required training on family violence, sexual assault, trafficking and child abuse. A judge qualifies by filing an affidavit saying they do not hear those kinds of cases. Judges who do hear those cases still have to take the training, and the change starts September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Criminal Justice
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Carol Alvarado

Donors

Texas Sands PAC$25KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$20KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 2024 to Jun 19, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Sands PAC$25,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 6, 2024 to Mar 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012403, 101030499, 101059972.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$20,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Dec 8, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101007246, 101030499.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 2024 to Dec 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012403, 101030499.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 6, 2024 to Mar 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012403, 101030499, 101059972.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Dec 8, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101007246, 101030499.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 2024 to Dec 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012403, 101030499.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 22, 2025

02/13/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Courts--Judges

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

CRIMINAL APPEALS, COURT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 151 words

89R5583 JTZ-D

By: Alvarado
S.B. No. 866

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to judicial training requirements regarding family

violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and child abuse.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 22.110, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) The rules adopted under Subsection (b) must exempt

from the training requirements of this section each judge or

judicial officer, including an associate judge, who files an

affidavit stating the judge or judicial officer does not hear cases

involving family violence, sexual assault, trafficking of persons,

or child abuse and neglect.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall adopt the

rules necessary to implement Section 22.110(b-1), Government Code,

as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.