Sec. 56.003. USE OF FUNDS. (a) Unless the legislature specifically appropriates or provides additional money for purposes of this subsection, the court of criminal appeals may not use more than three percent of the money appropriated in any one fiscal year to hire staff and provide for the proper administration of this chapter.

(b) No more than one-third of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year shall be used for the continuing legal education of judges of appellate courts, district courts, county courts at law, county courts performing judicial functions, full-time associate judges and masters appointed pursuant to Chapter 201, Family Code, and full-time and part-time masters, magistrates, referees, and associate judges appointed pursuant to Chapter 54 or 54A as required by the court of criminal appeals under Section 74.025 and of their court personnel.

(c) No more than one-third of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year shall be used for the continuing legal education of judges of justice courts as required by the court of criminal appeals under Section 74.025 and of their court personnel.

(d) No more than one-third of the funds appropriated for any fiscal year shall be used for the continuing legal education of judges of municipal courts as required by the court of criminal appeals under Section 74.025 and of their court personnel.

(e) The court of criminal appeals shall grant legal funds to statewide professional associations of judges and other entities whose purposes include providing continuing legal education courses, programs, and projects for judges and court personnel. The grantees of those funds must ensure that sufficient funds are available for each judge to meet the minimum educational requirements set by the court of criminal appeals under Section 74.025 before any funds are awarded to a judge for education that exceeds those requirements.

(f) The court of criminal appeals shall grant legal funds to statewide professional associations of prosecuting attorneys, criminal defense attorneys who regularly represent indigent defendants in criminal matters, and justices of the peace, and other entities. The association's or entity's purposes must include providing continuing legal education, technical assistance, and other support programs.

(g) The court of criminal appeals shall grant legal funds to statewide professional associations and other entities that provide innocence training programs related to defendants' claims of factual innocence following conviction to law enforcement officers, law students, and other participants.

(h) The court of criminal appeals shall grant legal funds to statewide professional associations and other entities that provide training to individuals responsible for providing court security.

Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.78(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 896, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 390, Sec. 3, eff. Aug. 31, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 654, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 149 (S.B. 496), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 190 (S.B. 42), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 162 (H.B. 598), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.