By: Hunter, Todd H.B. No. 2420 73R4172 DLF-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the liability of certain government officials. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Title 5, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Chapter 109 to read as follows: 1-6 CHAPTER 109. OFFICIAL IMMUNITY 1-7 Sec. 109.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-8 (1) "Claim" means any claim seeking recovery of 1-9 damages or other relief in a civil action, including a 1-10 counterclaim, cross-claim, or third party claim. 1-11 (2) "Government official" means a person who is: 1-12 (A) an employee, as that term is defined by 1-13 Section 101.001; 1-14 (B) an employee, as that term is defined by 1-15 Section 102.001; or 1-16 (C) a person who may be indemnified by the state 1-17 under Section 104.002. 1-18 Sec. 109.002. SCOPE OF CHAPTER. This chapter applies in any 1-19 action in which a claim is brought against a government official 1-20 for which the official may be entitled to immunity under common 1-21 law. 1-22 Sec. 109.003. BURDEN OF PROOF. A person making a claim 1-23 against a government official bears the burden of pleading and 1-24 proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the immunity 2-1 described by Section 109.002 does not apply. 2-2 Sec. 109.004. EFFECT OF IMMUNITY. The immunity described by 2-3 Section 109.002 is an immunity from both suit and liability and is 2-4 an exception to tort liability under the laws of this state. 2-5 Sec. 109.005. EXPEDITED PROCEEDINGS. (a) The court, on 2-6 motion by any party, shall rule on the applicability of immunity to 2-7 the government official before any other proceeding in the action 2-8 may be held, other than discovery of information related to the 2-9 applicability of the immunity. 2-10 (b) A party to the action is not entitled to discovery other 2-11 than discovery related to the applicability of the immunity until 2-12 the court has issued a ruling under Subsection (a). 2-13 (c) If the court rules that the immunity is not applicable, 2-14 the ruling may be appealed under Section 51.014. 2-15 Sec. 109.006. AVAILABILITY IN ACTIONS AGAINST GOVERNMENTAL 2-16 UNITS. The immunity described by Section 109.002 is available to a 2-17 governmental unit defending a claim brought against the 2-18 governmental unit under Chapter 101. 2-19 SECTION 2. Section 51.014, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, 2-20 is amended to read as follows: 2-21 Sec. 51.014. Appeal From Interlocutory Order. (a) A person 2-22 may appeal from an interlocutory order of a district court, county 2-23 court at law, or county court that: 2-24 (1) appoints a receiver or trustee; 2-25 (2) overrules a motion to vacate an order that 2-26 appoints a receiver or trustee; 2-27 (3) certifies or refuses to certify a class in a suit 3-1 brought under Rule 42 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure; 3-2 (4) grants or refuses a temporary injunction or grants 3-3 or overrules a motion to dissolve a temporary injunction as 3-4 provided by Chapter 65; or 3-5 (5) denies a dispositive motion, including a motion 3-6 for summary judgment that is based on an assertion of immunity: 3-7 (A) by an individual who is an officer or 3-8 employee of the state or of a local government or other political 3-9 subdivision of the state; or 3-10 (B) by a governmental unit under 3-11 Section 109.006. 3-12 (b) Pending an appeal under Subsection (a)(5), all 3-13 proceedings in the trial court are stayed, including discovery, 3-14 except that discovery necessary to permit a determination of the 3-15 applicability of the immunity may continue. 3-16 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993, and 3-17 applies only to a cause of action that accrues on or after that 3-18 date. An action that accrued before the effective date of this Act 3-19 is governed by the law in effect at the time the action accrued, 3-20 and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. 3-21 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 3-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.