1-1 By: Harris S.B. No. 243 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 20, 1997; January 21, 1997, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence; 1-4 February 5, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 1-5 6, Nays 0; February 5, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to a child's property damage to a hotel. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Title 73, Revised Statutes, is amended by adding 1-11 Article 4596e to read as follows: 1-12 Art. 4596e. LIABILITY FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE CAUSED BY CHILDREN 1-13 Sec. 1. In this article: 1-14 (1) "Innkeeper" means an owner, operator, or manager 1-15 of a hotel as defined by Section 156.001, Tax Code. 1-16 (2) "Child" means a person who is under 18 years of 1-17 age. 1-18 Sec. 2. An innkeeper may request a parent or other person 1-19 who has the duty of control and reasonable discipline of a child to 1-20 sign a form assuming liability for any property damage proximately 1-21 caused by the negligent conduct or the wilful and malicious conduct 1-22 of the child. 1-23 Sec. 3. A parent or other person who signs the form 1-24 described in Section 2 of this article is liable for any property 1-25 damage proximately caused by the negligent conduct or the wilful 1-26 and malicious conduct of the child. 1-27 Sec. 4. A parent or other person is not required to sign the 1-28 form described in Section 2 of this article. 1-29 Sec. 5. An innkeeper may deny service to the parent or other 1-30 person who does not sign the form described in Section 2 of this 1-31 article and to the child, except that in no event shall the denial 1-32 be based on the race, creed, color, national origin, sex, or 1-33 disability of a person. 1-34 Sec. 6. Chapter 41, Family Code, applies to inns and hotels. 1-35 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-36 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-37 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-38 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-39 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-40 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-41 * * * * *