| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 694 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to liability of a religious organization or an employee or |
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| 6 | 6 | | volunteer of a religious organization for security services |
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| 7 | 7 | | provided to the organization. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 84, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 84.0067 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 84.0067. LIABILITY ARISING FROM PROVISION OF SECURITY |
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| 12 | 12 | | SERVICES TO RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION. (a) In this section: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) "Religious organization" means a charitable |
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| 14 | 14 | | organization that is a religious organization under Section |
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| 15 | 15 | | 110.011(b). |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) "Security personnel" means an individual: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (A) whom a religious organization hires to |
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| 18 | 18 | | provide security services to the organization as an employee; or |
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| 19 | 19 | | (B) who is a volunteer of a religious |
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| 20 | 20 | | organization whose duties or functions include providing security |
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| 21 | 21 | | services to the organization. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) A religious organization or security personnel of a |
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| 23 | 23 | | religious organization is immune from civil liability for any act |
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| 24 | 24 | | or omission by the security personnel resulting in death, damage, |
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| 25 | 25 | | or injury if the security personnel was acting in the course and |
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| 26 | 26 | | scope of the security personnel's employment or volunteer duties or |
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| 27 | 27 | | functions, as applicable, to provide security services to the |
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| 28 | 28 | | organization, including: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) notwithstanding Section 84.007(a), an intentional |
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| 30 | 30 | | act; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) an act involving possession or use of a firearm. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Section 84.0067, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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| 33 | 33 | | Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that |
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| 34 | 34 | | accrues on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 36 | 36 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 37 | 37 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 38 | 38 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 694 passed the Senate on |
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| 39 | 39 | | April 12, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 9. |
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| 40 | 40 | | ______________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 42 | 42 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 694 passed the House on |
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| 43 | 43 | | May 23, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 86, Nays 53, three |
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| 44 | 44 | | present not voting. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ______________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 47 | 47 | | Approved: |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Date |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Governor |
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