By Hinojosa                                           H.B. No. 3065
         76R8734 GWK-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the use of victim-offender alternative dispute
 1-3     resolution procedures in family violence cases.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Article 26.13(g), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (g)  Before accepting a plea of guilty or a plea of nolo
 1-8     contendere and on the request of a victim of the offense, the court
 1-9     may assist the victim and the defendant in participating in a
1-10     victim-offender mediation program.  The court may not refer or
1-11     order a victim or a defendant in a case involving family violence,
1-12     as defined by Section 71.004, Family Code, to participate in
1-13     mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or a similar procedure.
1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 11, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal
1-15     Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
1-16           (g)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(16), the court may not
1-17     refer or order a victim or a defendant in a case involving family
1-18     violence, as defined by Section 71.004, Family Code, to participate
1-19     in mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or a similar
1-20     procedure.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-2     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-3     passage, and it is so enacted.