By Chisum                                               H.B. No. 13

      75R227 MJW-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the authorization of certain courts to issue a

 1-3     protective order against family violence.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 71.01(b)(1), Family Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7                 (1)  "Court" means the district court, court of

 1-8     domestic relations, juvenile court having the jurisdiction of a

 1-9     district court, or other court expressly given jurisdiction of a

1-10     suit under this subtitle or a [statutory] county court.

1-11           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-16     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-17     passage, and it is so enacted.