By Craddick H.B. No. 657 75R1242 DAK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the privilege against disclosure of certain 1-3 communications by emergency stress management volunteers. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 22, Civil Practice and 1-6 Remedies Code, is amended by adding Section 22.012 to read as 1-7 follows: 1-8 Sec. 22.012. EMERGENCY STRESS MANAGEMENT VOLUNTEERS. (a) A 1-9 confidential communication between an individual and a person 1-10 treated by the individual is privileged and may not be disclosed in 1-11 the same manner as a confidential communication between a physician 1-12 and a patient may not be disclosed if: 1-13 (1) the communication is made during the provision of 1-14 emergency services that are intended to alleviate trauma or 1-15 critical stress to the person treated: 1-16 (A) arising from the handling of an emergency 1-17 situation by the person in which the person's life is at risk; 1-18 (B) who, as a member of the public, has 1-19 experienced a sudden, unexpected, or inexplicable event; or 1-20 (C) arising from association as a family member 1-21 or other close relationship to a person described under Subdivision 1-22 (A) or (B); and 1-23 (2) the individual provides the treatment on a 1-24 voluntary basis under the supervision of a nonprofit entity. 2-1 (b) Notwithstanding Section 22.004, Government Code, the 2-2 supreme court may not amend or adopt rules in conflict with this 2-3 section. 2-4 SECTION 2. This Act applies to the privilege against the 2-5 disclosure of a communication on or after the effective date of 2-6 this Act without regard to whether: 2-7 (1) the communication took place before, on, or after 2-8 that date; or 2-9 (2) the proceeding in which the communication is 2-10 sought to be disclosed commenced before, on, or after that date. 2-11 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-17 passage, and it is so enacted.