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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the definition of "governmental unit" for purposes of |
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the Texas Tort Claims Act. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 101.001(3), Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(3) "Governmental unit" means: |
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(A) this state and all the several agencies of |
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government that collectively constitute the government of this |
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state, including other agencies bearing different designations, |
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and all departments, bureaus, boards, commissions, offices, |
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agencies, councils, and courts; |
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(B) a political subdivision of this state, |
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including any city, county, school district, junior college |
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district, levee improvement district, drainage district, |
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irrigation district, water improvement district, water control and |
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improvement district, water control and preservation district, |
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freshwater supply district, navigation district, conservation and |
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reclamation district, soil conservation district, communication |
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district, public health district, and river authority; |
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(C) an emergency service organization; [and] |
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(D) any other institution, agency, or organ of |
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government the status and authority of which are derived from the |
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Constitution of Texas or from laws passed by the legislature under |
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the constitution; and |
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(E) a unit of a political subdivision, including |
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a municipally owned water utility authorized by Section 552.017, |
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Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 101.001, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code, as amended 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. A cause of |
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action that accrues before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective |
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date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2019. |