|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the duration of certain protective orders against |
|
family violence. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 85.025(a-1), Family Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(a-1) The court may render a protective order sufficient to |
|
protect the applicant and members of the applicant's family or |
|
household that is effective for a period that exceeds two years if |
|
the court finds that the person who is the subject of the protective |
|
order: |
|
(1) committed an act constituting a felony offense |
|
involving family violence against the applicant or a member of the |
|
applicant's family or household, regardless of whether the person |
|
has been charged with or convicted of the offense; |
|
(2) caused serious bodily injury to the applicant or a |
|
member of the applicant's family or household; or |
|
(3) [(2)] was the subject of two or more previous |
|
protective orders rendered: |
|
(A) to protect the person on whose behalf the |
|
current protective order is sought; and |
|
(B) after a finding by the court that the subject |
|
of the protective order: |
|
(i) has committed family violence; and |
|
(ii) is likely to commit family violence in |
|
the future. |
|
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
to an application for a protective order that is filed on or after |
|
the effective date of this Act. An application for a protective |
|
order filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
law in effect on the date the application is filed, and the former |
|
law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |