By Wise                                                H.B. No. 229
         77R2038 KEL-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a limitation on interviewing or examining a child in a
 1-3     criminal case.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 38, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-6     amended by adding Article 38.073 to read as follows:
 1-7           Art. 38.073.  LIMITATION ON INTERVIEWS AND EXAMINATIONS. If a
 1-8     child younger than 16 years of age is a complaining witness in a
 1-9     pending proceeding, the court shall reasonably limit the number of
1-10     interviews with and examinations of the child, unless the risk of
1-11     prejudice to the defendant outweighs the child's risk of
1-12     psychological damage resulting from the multiple interviews and
1-13     examinations.
1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.