| 1 | 1 | | 89R9598 RAL-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: West S.B. No. 1526 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to reimbursing certain Department of Family and Protective |
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| 10 | 10 | | Services employees for certain legal expenses. |
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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. Section 40.060, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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| 13 | 13 | | to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 40.060. INDEMNIFICATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR LEGAL |
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| 15 | 15 | | EXPENSES. (a) If a present or former employee of the department |
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| 16 | 16 | | who is or was involved in activities relating to the protection of |
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| 17 | 17 | | children or elderly persons or persons with disabilities is |
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| 18 | 18 | | criminally prosecuted for conduct involving the person's |
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| 19 | 19 | | misfeasance or nonfeasance in the course and scope of the person's |
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| 20 | 20 | | employment and is found not guilty after a trial or appeal or if the |
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| 21 | 21 | | complaint or indictment is dismissed without a plea of guilty or |
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| 22 | 22 | | nolo contendere being entered, the department may indemnify the |
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| 23 | 23 | | person or the person's estate for the reasonable attorney's fees |
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| 24 | 24 | | incurred in defense of the prosecution up to a maximum of $10,000. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b) If a present employee of the department who is involved |
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| 26 | 26 | | in activities relating to the protection of children or elderly |
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| 27 | 27 | | persons or persons with disabilities seeks a protective or |
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| 28 | 28 | | restraining order while in the course and scope of their employment |
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| 29 | 29 | | with the department, the department may reimburse the person for |
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| 30 | 30 | | the reasonable attorney's fees incurred in obtaining the protective |
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| 31 | 31 | | or restraining order up to a maximum amount of $5,000. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 33 | 33 | | of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | adopt rules to implement Section 40.060(b), Human Resources Code, |
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| 35 | 35 | | as added by this Act. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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