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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the required approval of certain hospital visits as a |
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condition of release on parole or to mandatory supervision for |
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certain releasees and to the hospital's liability for damages |
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resulting from those visits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. This Act may be cited as the Pokuaa-Flowers Act. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 508.193 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.193. REQUIRED APPROVAL OF CERTAIN HOSPITAL VISITS. |
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(a) A parole panel that requires a releasee serving a sentence for |
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an offense listed in Article 42A.054(a), Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, or for which the judgment contains an affirmative |
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finding under Article 42A.054(c) or (d), Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, to submit to electronic monitoring as a condition of |
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release on parole or to mandatory supervision shall, as an |
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additional condition of release, prohibit the releasee from |
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visiting a hospital for a purpose other than to receive emergency |
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medical care unless the parole officer supervising the releasee |
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approves the releasee's request to visit the hospital prior to the |
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visit. |
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(b) A releasee's request to visit a hospital must specify |
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the date and time of the intended visit and the reason for the |
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visit. |
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(c) A parole officer who approves a visit under Subsection |
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(a) shall promptly notify the chief law enforcement officer for the |
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hospital, or a local law enforcement agency if the hospital does not |
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employ any peace officers, of the date and time of the releasee's |
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intended visit. |
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(d) On a finding by the division that a parole officer |
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intentionally failed to comply with the requirements of Subsection |
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(c), the division shall begin disciplinary procedures against the |
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officer. |
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(e) Notwithstanding any other law, a hospital is not liable |
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to a patient or another person for damages resulting from a visit by |
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a releasee described by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 3. Section 508.193, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a person who is released on parole or to |
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mandatory supervision on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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person who is released on parole or to mandatory supervision before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at |
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the time of release, and the former law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |