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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reporting of incidents of sexual harassment, sexual |
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assault, dating violence, and stalking on state property. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 424 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 424. REPORTING OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, DATING |
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VIOLENCE, AND STALKING ON STATE PROPERTY |
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Sec. 424.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Dating violence" means abuse or violence, or a |
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threat of abuse or violence, against a person with whom the actor |
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has or has had a social relationship of a romantic or intimate |
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nature. |
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(2) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety |
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of the State of Texas. |
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(3) "Sexual assault" means sexual contact or |
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intercourse with a person without the person's consent, including |
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sexual contact or intercourse against the person's will or in a |
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circumstance in which the person is incapable of consenting to the |
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contact or intercourse. |
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(4) "Sexual harassment" means unwelcome, sex-based |
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verbal or physical conduct that: |
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(A) in the employment context, unreasonably |
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interferes with a person's work performance or creates an |
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intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment; or |
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(B) in the education context, is sufficiently |
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severe, persistent, or pervasive that the conduct interferes with a |
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student's ability to participate in or benefit from educational |
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programs or activities at a postsecondary educational institution. |
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(5) "Stalking" means a course of conduct directed at a |
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person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's |
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safety or to suffer substantial emotional distress. |
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Sec. 424.002. ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM. (a) The department |
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shall develop and establish or contract with a third party to |
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develop and establish an online reporting system through which a |
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person may report to the department an allegation of sexual |
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harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking committed |
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against or witnessed by the person on property owned or rented by |
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the state. |
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(b) The online reporting system must enable a person to |
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report the alleged incident anonymously. |
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(c) The department shall maintain information from reports |
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under Subsection (a) on the department's generally accessible |
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Internet website. The information on the website must be |
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searchable by location, governmental entity, and type of incident. |
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Sec. 424.003. RULES. The department shall adopt rules as |
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necessary to implement and enforce this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2020, the Department of |
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Public Safety of the State of Texas shall develop and establish the |
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online reporting system required under Section 424.002, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |