By Telford H.B. No. 117 75R580 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to creating the offense of false disparagement about the 1-3 AIDS or HIV status of an individual. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 42.072 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 42.072. FALSE DISPARAGEMENT RELATING TO AIDS AND HIV. 1-8 (a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally 1-9 disseminates in any manner information stating that another has 1-10 acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or human 1-11 immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, antibodies to HIV, or an 1-12 infection with any other probable causative agent of AIDS, and the 1-13 person: 1-14 (1) knows that the information disseminated is false; 1-15 or 1-16 (2) does not know whether the information disseminated 1-17 is true. 1-18 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. 1-19 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-1 passage, and it is so enacted.