| 1 | 1 | | 89R764 KKR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: West S.B. No. 220 |
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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 an employer's civil liability under the Texas Workers' |
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| 10 | 10 | | Compensation Act for injuries sustained by certain victims of |
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| 11 | 11 | | sexual assault or abuse. |
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| 12 | 12 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 13 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 408, Labor Code, is |
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| 14 | 14 | | amended by adding Section 408.0011 to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 408.0011. CIVIL ACTION FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY |
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| 16 | 16 | | CERTAIN VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT OR ABUSE. (a) In this section: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "Developmental disability" has the meaning |
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| 18 | 18 | | assigned by Section 112.042, Human Resources Code. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "Intellectual disability" has the meaning |
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| 20 | 20 | | assigned by Section 591.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) "Sexual abuse" means conduct described by Section |
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| 22 | 22 | | 21.02 or 21.11, Penal Code. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (4) "Sexual assault" means conduct described by |
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| 24 | 24 | | Section 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 408.001, an employee who is the |
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| 26 | 26 | | victim of sexual assault or abuse may bring a cause of action |
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| 27 | 27 | | against the employer if: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) the employee is an individual with an intellectual |
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| 29 | 29 | | or developmental disability; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) the employee's injuries arose from the employer's |
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| 31 | 31 | | negligence. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 33 | 33 | | to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of |
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| 34 | 34 | | this Act. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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