|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the use of person first respectful language instead of |
|
the term "ward." |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 22.033, Estates Code, is amended to read |
|
as follows: |
|
Sec. 22.033. WARD; PERSON WITH A GUARDIAN. "Ward" or |
|
"person with a guardian" means a person for whom a guardian has been |
|
appointed. |
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 1001, Estates Code, is amended by adding |
|
Section 1001.004 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 1001.004. USE OF PERSON FIRST RESPECTFUL LANGUAGE |
|
INSTEAD OF WARD. (a) The legislature, the Texas Legislative |
|
Council, and other state agencies and entities are directed to |
|
avoid using the term "ward" in any new provision of law and are |
|
directed to replace, as appropriate, that term in any existing law |
|
as that existing law is otherwise amended with the following |
|
preferred terms or phrases or appropriate variations of those terms |
|
or phrases: |
|
(1) "person"; |
|
(2) "incapacitated person"; and |
|
(3) "person with a guardian." |
|
(b) A law is not invalid solely because it does not employ |
|
this section's preferred terms or phrases. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 1002.026, Estates Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 1002.026. PROPOSED WARD; ALLEGED INCAPACITATED |
|
PERSON. "Proposed ward" or "alleged incapacitated person" means a |
|
person alleged in a guardianship proceeding to be incapacitated. |
|
SECTION 4. Section 1002.030, Estates Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 1002.030. WARD; PERSON WITH A GUARDIAN. "Ward" or |
|
"person with a guardian" means a person for whom a guardian has been |
|
appointed. |
|
SECTION 5. Section 155.001(7), Government Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(7) "Ward" or "person with a guardian" has the meaning |
|
assigned by Chapter 1002, Estates [Section 601, Texas Probate] |
|
Code. |
|
SECTION 6. Section 411.114(a)(1)(E), Government Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(E) "Ward" or "person with a guardian" has the |
|
meaning assigned by Chapter 1002, Estates [Section 601, Texas
|
|
Probate] Code. |
|
SECTION 7. Section 240.002(15), Property Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(15) "Ward" or "person with a guardian" has the |
|
meaning assigned by Section 22.033, Estates Code. |
|
SECTION 8. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
|
over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, |
|
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
|
codes. |
|
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|
|
|
* * * * * |