BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 603

By: Shaheen

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent school shootings have occurred after the perpetrators made public statements on social media about their intent to do harm. Unfortunately, some suspicious activities go unreported due to the fear of legal backlash, resulting in lost lives. H.B. 603 seeks to address the concern that a citizen reporting a suspicious activity to law enforcement might be sued and provide protections for these citizens against civil lawsuits. Under the bill, a person who acted as a reasonable person would in the same or similar circumstance, and with a reasonable belief that the suspicious activity constituted or was in furtherance of a crime, including an act of terrorism, would be protected.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 603 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to prohibit a civil action related to a report of suspicious activity of another person to an appropriate law enforcement authority from being brought against the person who made the report if that person acted as a reasonable person would in the same or similar circumstances and with a reasonable belief that the suspicious activity constituted or was in furtherance of a crime, including an act of terrorism. The bill applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.