BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3180

By: Dutton

Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 88th Texas Legislature passed H.B. 2850, which made changes relating to discovery in civil actions brought under the Family Code in response to certain revisions of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure by the Texas Supreme Court. The bill author has informed the committee that the enacted legislation contained a typo. H.B. 3180 seeks to fix that typo.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3180 amends the Family Code to update the list of information of which a party to a civil action may request disclosure during the applicable discovery period by replacing the reference to any discoverable witness settlement described by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure with a reference to any discoverable witness statement described by those rules. The bill applies to an action that is pending in a trial court on the bill's effective date or that is filed on or after that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.