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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to civil actions based on and local governmental |
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punishment of a person's refusal to violate the person's sincerely |
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held religious belief. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 93, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 93.003 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 93.003. VIOLATION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF: AFFIRMATIVE |
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DEFENSE. It is an affirmative defense to a civil action based on a |
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claim that the defendant discriminated against the plaintiff on a |
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basis other than race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, |
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or disability that the defendant could not avoid the cause of action |
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without violating the defendant's sincerely held religious belief. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 250, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 250.008 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 250.008. REGULATIONS REQUIRING VIOLATION OF RELIGIOUS |
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BELIEF PROHIBITED. A county or municipality may not impose a fine |
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or other penalty against a person for violation of an ordinance, |
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order, or other measure that prohibits discrimination on a basis |
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other than race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or |
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disability if compliance with the measure would have required the |
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person to violate the person's sincerely held religious belief. |
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SECTION 3. Section 93.003, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that |
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accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |