By Greenberg H.B. No. 2653 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to granting immunity from liability for a person who gives 1-3 information to a government agency. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 5(a), Article 56.02, Code of Criminal 1-6 Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 1-7 (e) A person who exercises rights under this Act by giving 1-8 information to a government agency shall be granted absolute 1-9 immunity from liability for any communication tort committed. 1-10 Agencies which make decisions based upon such information should 1-11 consider this immunity when assigning weight to such information 1-12 contained in unsworn declarations. The information given to crime 1-13 victims under Subsection (a)(7) should include the information that 1-14 unsworn declarations will be given less weight than sworn 1-15 declarations, that sworn declarations are made under penalty of 1-16 perjury, and how sworn declarations may be made. 1-17 Section 5(b). The legislative intent of Subsection 5(a) of 1-18 this Act is to prevent criminals and accused criminals from suing 1-19 crime victims, their guardians, and their relatives from exercising 1-20 their rights under the Crime Victims' Rights Act. This Act in no 1-21 way reflects upon whether a common law immunity for such 1-22 communications exists, although the legislature sincerely hopes 1-23 that such an immunity exists. If such an immunity does exist, this 2-1 statutory immunity is cumulative in effect. 2-2 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 2-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-9 passage, and it is so enacted.