HBA-NRS H.B. 2179 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2179
By: Hochberg
Civil Practices
3/12/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth
Commission, and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission contract the
services of chaplains or spiritual advisors to provide for the religious
needs of criminal offenders. There have been cases in which chaplains or
spiritual advisors have been named in lawsuits because of their involvement
with the particular agencies for which their services are contracted. House
Bill 2179 requires the state to indemnify a chaplain or spiritual advisor
who has contracted to perform services for an agency in a cause of action
based on conduct from which damages arise out of certain acts or omissions
involving negligence or deprivation of a right, privilege, or immunity. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2179 requires the state, in a cause of action based on conduct
from which damages arise out of certain acts or omissions involving
negligence or deprivation of a right, privilege, or immunity, to indemnify
a chaplain or spiritual advisor who was performing services under contract
with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth Commission,
or the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission when the act or omission on
which the damages are based occurred. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.