Bill Text: TX HB170 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to civil liability arising out of justified uses of or threats to use force or deadly force.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 29)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 0000-00-00 - Referred to State Affairs [HB170 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB170-Engrossed.html
| 89R12249 MZM-F | ||
| By: Guillen, Bumgarner, Gerdes, Virdell, | H.B. No. 170 | |
| et al. | ||
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| relating to civil liability arising out of justified uses of or | ||
| threats to use force or deadly force. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 83.001, Civil Practice and Remedies | ||
| Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 83.001. CIVIL IMMUNITY. (a) A defendant who uses or | ||
| threatens to use force or deadly force that is justified under | ||
| Chapter 9, Penal Code, is immune from civil liability for personal | ||
| injury or death that results from the defendant's use of or threat | ||
| to use force or deadly force, as applicable. | ||
| (b) A defendant who uses or threatens to use force or deadly | ||
| force is presumed to be justified under Chapter 9, Penal Code, and | ||
| immune from liability if: | ||
| (1) a grand jury declines to indict the defendant for | ||
| the use or threatened use of force or deadly force; or | ||
| (2) a criminal charge for an offense involving the use | ||
| or threatened use of force or deadly force results in acquittal or | ||
| is dismissed. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 83, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 83.002 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 83.002. ATTORNEY'S FEES; COSTS AND EXPENSES. A | ||
| defendant who is found to be immune from liability under Section | ||
| 83.001 is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees, court | ||
| costs, lost income, and other expenses incurred by the defendant in | ||
| connection with the action. | ||
| SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
| to a cause of action that accrues on or after the effective date of | ||
| this Act. A cause of action that accrues before the effective date | ||
| of this Act is governed by the law applicable to the cause of action | ||
| immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is | ||
| continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
