By Zaffirini                                           S.B. No. 224
       74R1427 MJW-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to reports of domestic violence.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Title 4, Family Code, is amended by adding
    1-5  Chapter 73 to read as follows:
    1-6                CHAPTER 73.  REPORTING FAMILY VIOLENCE
    1-7        Sec. 73.01.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
    1-8              (1)  "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by
    1-9  Section 71.01.
   1-10              (2)  "Medical professional" means a licensed doctor,
   1-11  nurse, or emergency medical technician.
   1-12        Sec. 73.02.  REPORTING BY WITNESSES ENCOURAGED.  A person who
   1-13  witnesses family violence is encouraged to report the family
   1-14  violence to a local law enforcement agency.
   1-15        Sec. 73.03.  REPORTING BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS REQUIRED.  A
   1-16  medical professional who treats a person for injuries that the
   1-17  medical professional has reason to believe were caused by family
   1-18  violence shall report the suspected family violence to a local law
   1-19  enforcement agency.
   1-20        Sec. 73.04.  IMMUNITY.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection
   1-21  (b), a person who reports family violence under this chapter is
   1-22  immune from civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be
   1-23  incurred or imposed.
   1-24        (b)  A person who reports the person's own conduct or who
    2-1  otherwise reports family violence in bad faith is not protected
    2-2  from liability under this section.
    2-3        Sec. 73.05.  APPLICATION OF CHAPTER.  This chapter does not
    2-4  affect a duty to report child abuse under Chapter 34.
    2-5        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    2-6        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.