| 1 | 1 | | By: Cook H.B. No. 1974 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to the enforceability of certain nondisclosure or |
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| 9 | 9 | | confidentiality provisions with respect to an act of sexual abuse |
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| 10 | 10 | | committed against a child. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Chapter 129C to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 129C. AGREEMENTS PROHIBITING DISCLOSURES REGARDING CHILD |
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| 15 | 15 | | SEXUAL ABUSE |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 129C.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "act of sexual |
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| 17 | 17 | | abuse" means conduct described by: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) Section 261.001(1)(E), (F), (G), (H), (K), or (L), |
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| 19 | 19 | | Family Code; or |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) one or more of the following penal laws: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (A) indecency with a child under Section 21.11, |
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| 22 | 22 | | Penal Code; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) sexual assault under Section 22.011, Penal |
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| 24 | 24 | | Code; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (C) aggravated sexual assault under Section |
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| 26 | 26 | | 22.021, Penal Code; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (D) sexual performance by a child under Section |
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| 28 | 28 | | 43.25, Penal Code; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (E) trafficking of persons under Section |
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| 30 | 30 | | 20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8), Penal Code; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (F) compelling prostitution under Section 43.05, |
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| 32 | 32 | | Penal Code. |
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| 33 | 33 | | Sec. 129C.002. CERTAIN PROVISIONS UNENFORCEABLE. Any |
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| 34 | 34 | | provision of a nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement, or |
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| 35 | 35 | | nondisclosure or confidentiality provision of an employment |
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| 36 | 36 | | agreement, settlement agreement, or any other agreement is void and |
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| 37 | 37 | | unenforceable as against the public policy of this state to the |
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| 38 | 38 | | extent the provision: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) prohibits a party from notifying, or limits the |
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| 40 | 40 | | party's ability to notify, a local or state law enforcement agency |
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| 41 | 41 | | or any state or federal regulatory agency of any act of sexual |
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| 42 | 42 | | abuse committed against a child; or |
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| 43 | 43 | | (2) prohibits a party from disclosing to any person, |
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| 44 | 44 | | including during any related investigation, prosecution, legal |
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| 45 | 45 | | proceeding, or dispute resolution, facts surrounding any act of |
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| 46 | 46 | | sexual abuse committed against a child, including the identity of |
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| 47 | 47 | | the alleged offender. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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| 49 | 49 | | agreement entered into before, on, or after the effective date of |
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| 50 | 50 | | this Act. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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