| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to a privilege from disclosure to governmental units for |
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| 8 | 6 | | certain evidence concerning sermons delivered by a religious |
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| 9 | 7 | | leader. |
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| 10 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is |
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| 12 | 10 | | amended by adding Chapter 150A to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 11 | | CHAPTER 150A. DISCOVERY BY GOVERNMENTAL UNIT |
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| 14 | 12 | | Sec. 150A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 15 | 13 | | (1) "Governmental unit" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 16 | 14 | | Section 101.001. |
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| 17 | 15 | | (2) "Religious organization" means an organization |
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| 18 | 16 | | that qualifies as a religious organization under Section 11.20, Tax |
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| 19 | 17 | | Code. |
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| 20 | 18 | | (3) "Religious worship" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 21 | 19 | | Section 11.20, Tax Code. |
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| 22 | 20 | | Sec. 150A.002. SERMONS PRIVILEGED FROM DISCLOSURE TO |
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| 23 | 21 | | GOVERNMENTAL UNIT. A governmental unit may not, in any civil action |
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| 24 | 22 | | or other civil or administrative proceeding to which the |
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| 25 | 23 | | governmental unit is a party, compel the production or disclosure |
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| 26 | 24 | | of a written copy or audio or video recording of a sermon delivered |
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| 27 | 25 | | by a religious leader during religious worship of a religious |
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| 28 | 26 | | organization or compel the religious leader to testify regarding |
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| 29 | 27 | | the sermon. |
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| 30 | 28 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 31 | 29 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 32 | 30 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 33 | 31 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 34 | 32 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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| 33 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 34 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 35 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 24 passed the Senate on |
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| 36 | + | March 8, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 37 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 38 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 39 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 24 passed the House on |
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| 40 | + | May 6, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 2, one present |
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| 41 | + | not voting. |
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| 42 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 44 | + | Approved: |
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| 45 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 46 | + | Date |
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| 47 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | + | Governor |
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