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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the admissibility of certain hearsay statements in the |
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adjudication of certain sexual or assaultive offenses committed |
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against a child or a person with a disability. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 54.031(a) and (d), Family Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) This section applies to a hearing under this title in |
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which a child is alleged to be a delinquent child on the basis of a |
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violation of any of the following provisions of the Penal Code, if a |
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child 18 [12] years of age or younger or a person with a disability |
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is the alleged victim of the violation: |
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(1) Chapter 21 (Sexual Offenses) or 22 (Assaultive |
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Offenses); |
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(2) Section 25.02 (Prohibited Sexual Conduct); |
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(3) Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a Child); |
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(4) Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8) (Trafficking of |
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Persons); or |
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(5) Section 43.05(a)(2) (Compelling Prostitution). |
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(d) In this section, "person with a disability" has the same |
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meaning as "disabled individual" as defined by Section 22.04, Penal |
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Code [means a person 13 years of age or older who because of age or |
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physical or mental disease, disability, or injury is substantially |
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unable to protect the person's self from harm or to provide food, |
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shelter, or medical care for the person's self]. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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case in a juvenile court that commences on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. A case that commences before the effective date of |
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this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the case |
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commenced, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |