73R6132 JBN-F By Goodman H.B. No. 1519 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to volunteer advocates in a suit for a protective order 1-3 under Chapter 71, Family Code. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 71, Family Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 71.095 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 71.095. VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES. (a) In a suit under this 1-8 chapter, the court may appoint as a volunteer advocate on behalf of 1-9 the applicant for a protective order a person who has been 1-10 certified by the court to appear at a court hearing in the capacity 1-11 of a volunteer advocate. 1-12 (b) A court may establish minimum training standards for 1-13 persons who apply to the court to be a volunteer advocate under 1-14 this chapter. The court may certify as a volunteer advocate a 1-15 person who meets the court's minimum training standards. 1-16 (c) A person is not liable for damages arising from a 1-17 recommendation made or an opinion given in the service as a 1-18 volunteer advocate appointed under Subsection (a) of this section, 1-19 except for an act or a failure to act that is intentionally 1-20 malicious or grossly negligent. 1-21 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.