1-1     By:  Ellis                                             S.B. No. 804
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 1999; March 3, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
 1-4     April 19, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
 1-5     Nays 0; April 19, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to developing a standard format for protective orders.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  (a)  The Department of Public Safety of the State
1-11     of Texas shall collaborate with the Texas Council on Family
1-12     Violence and the Texas District and County Attorneys Association to
1-13     develop a standard format for protective orders issued under Title
1-14     4, Family Code.
1-15           (b)  In developing the standard format for protective orders
1-16     as required by Subsection (a) of this section, the Department of
1-17     Public Safety of the State of Texas shall consider the standard
1-18     formats for protective orders adopted by other states.
1-19           (c)  To the maximum extent possible, the standard format for
1-20     a protective order developed under Subsection (a) of this section
1-21     must be concise and easily understandable to a peace officer who
1-22     attempts to enforce the order.
1-23           SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2000, the director of
1-24     the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall make a
1-25     recommendation to the 77th Legislature regarding a standard format
1-26     for protective orders issued under Title 4, Family Code.
1-27           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-28           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-29     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-30     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-31     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-32     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-33                                  * * * * *