PMWJ H.B. 1492 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS JUDICIAL AFFAIRS H.B. 1492 By: Hochberg et al. 3-5-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, there are no guidelines in Texas law regarding the wearing of religious apparel by witnesses and others during court proceedings. This ambiguity has led to at least one case of a judge requiring a witness to remove religious apparel without any specific finding that the apparel would interfere with the fairness of the proceeding. PURPOSE House Bill 1492 establishes a procedure for determining when a judge shall request the removal of religious apparel. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1 adds new Subsec. (c) to Section 21.001 of the Government Code to specify the conditions under which a judge may request a person to remove an item of religious apparel during a court proceeding. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date.