Bill Text: TX HB1071 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the presence of a qualified facility dog or qualified therapy dog in certain court proceedings.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-03 - Effective on 9/1/21 [HB1071 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB1071-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the presence of a qualified facility dog or qualified therapy dog in certain court proceedings.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-03 - Effective on 9/1/21 [HB1071 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB1071-Comm_Sub.html
By: Harris, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire) | H.B. No. 1071 | |
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 12, 2021; | ||
April 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on | ||
Criminal Justice; May 6, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable | ||
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; | ||
May 6, 2021, sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1071 | By: Whitmire |
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relating to the presence of a qualified facility dog in certain | ||
court proceedings. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 21.012 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 21.012. PRESENCE OF QUALIFIED FACILITY DOG IN COURT | ||
PROCEEDING. (a) In this section, "qualified facility dog" means a | ||
dog that is a graduate of a program operated by an assistance dog | ||
organization that is a member of a nationally recognized assistance | ||
dog association. | ||
(b) Any party to an action filed in a court in this state in | ||
which a proceeding related to the action will be held may petition | ||
the court for an order authorizing a qualified facility dog to be | ||
present with a witness who is testifying before the court through: | ||
(1) in-person testimony; or | ||
(2) closed-circuit video teleconferencing testimony. | ||
(c) The court may enter an order authorizing a qualified | ||
facility dog to accompany a witness testifying at the court | ||
proceeding if: | ||
(1) the presence of the dog will assist the witness in | ||
providing testimony; and | ||
(2) the party petitioning for the order provides proof | ||
of liability insurance coverage in effect for the dog. | ||
(d) A handler who is trained to manage the qualified | ||
facility dog must accompany the dog provided for a witness at a | ||
court proceeding. | ||
(e) A party to the action must petition the court for an | ||
order under Subsection (b) not later than the 14th day before the | ||
date of the court proceeding. | ||
(f) A court may: | ||
(1) impose restrictions on the presence of the | ||
qualified facility dog during the court proceeding; and | ||
(2) issue instructions to the jury, as applicable, | ||
regarding the presence of the dog. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
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