By:  Wise                                                         H.B. No. 71 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a limitation on interviewing or examining a child in a 
criminal case.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.   Chapter 38, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 
amended by adding Article 38.073 to read as follows:
	Art. 38.073.  LIMITATION ON INTERVIEWS AND EXAMINATIONS. If 
a child younger than 16 years of age is a complaining witness in a 
pending proceeding, the court shall reasonably limit the number of 
interviews with and examinations of the child, unless the risk of 
prejudice to the defendant outweighs the child's risk of 
psychological damage resulting from the multiple interviews and 
examinations.
	SECTION 2.   This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.