State Senator Michael W. Halpin | Illinois General Assembly
State Senator Michael W. Halpin | Illinois General Assembly
According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Judicial Domestic Violence Training Act. Requires the Judicial Education Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts to develop and implement a domestic violence continuing education program for judges and relevant court personnel. Provides that the continuing education program shall be required training for all judges every 2 years and shall be held at every biennial Education Conference and every new judge seminar."
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill establishes the Judicial Domestic Violence Training Act, mandating the Judicial Education Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts to create a domestic violence education program for judges and relevant court personnel. This program, required biennially at the Education Conference and every New Judge Seminar, aims to enhance judicial response to physical and emotional abuse, leveraging expertise from professionals with substantial experience in assisting survivors. It focuses on evidence-based research to help courts recognize trauma, prioritize victim safety, and consider diverse community needs. Training will cover domestic violence dynamics, biases, trauma impacts, and legal remedies, emphasizing culturally responsive approaches. Completion of the training must be documented and made publicly accessible.
Halpin graduated from Roger Williams University in 2001 with a BA and again in 2008 from University of Illinois with a JD.
Michael W. Halpin is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 36th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Neil Anderson in 2023.
Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.
You can read more about bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB0068 | 01/13/2025 | Creates the Judicial Domestic Violence Training Act. Requires the Judicial Education Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts to develop and implement a domestic violence continuing education program for judges and relevant court personnel. Provides that the continuing education program shall be required training for all judges every 2 years and shall be held at every biennial Education Conference and every new judge seminar. |
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