1999
HB 577: A person, arrested and held without a warrant, can be detained for a period of up to 48 hours if violence would continue after the person is released, if the person has been arrested two or more times in the last 10 years for family violence.
HB 819: If family violence has occurred, a person may object to mediation in divorce cases.
HB 865: A person may be issued a new driver’s license number or identification certificate number upon showing the Department of Transportation a court order stating the person is a victim of domestic violence. The department may not disclose the changed license or certificate number or the person’s name or former name.
HB 1337: Evidence regarding the intentional use of abusive physical force by a party against a parent of the child shall be considered when determining whether a party should be appointed as a sole or joint managing conservator.
HB 1411: The court may allow the parent who has committed family violence access to the child only if the parent’s access would not endanger the child, and if it would be in the best interest of the child. A court may also issue a possession order to protect the child subjecting the parent to certain guidelines: periods of access be supervised, exchange of the child occur in a protective setting, and the parent abstain from consuming alcohol or a controlled substance 12 hours prior to access.
HB 2124: A magistrate must issue an Order for Emergency Protection if the arrest involves serious bodily injury to the victim or the use of a deadly weapon during the assault. In this order, the magistrate may also suspend the defendant’s license to carry a concealed handgun.
HB 2441: In suits affecting the parent-child relationship, the court may order parents to attend a parent education and family stabilization course if in the best interest of the child. Parties may be prohibited from attending at the same time if there has been family violence. These courses will educate parents on the issues and consequences of divorce on the child, family violence, spousal abuse, child maltreatment, and the availability of community services and resources.
SB 24: A Class A misdemeanor assault increases to 3rd Degree felony if victim is a family or household member and defendant was previously convicted of an offense against a family or household member.
SB 50: A protective order remains in effect for two years if no expiration is listed. If the respondent is imprisoned at the time of expiration, the order lasts until one year after the respondent is released.
SB 1124: In cases of family violence involving criminal prosecution, the court shall not refer or order mediation, dispute resolution, arbitration, or other procedures.
HB 519: Victims of family violence may receive up to $2000 for relocation expenses from Crime Victim’s Compensation.
2001
HB 919: Texas must enforce other states’ protective orders, including custody and support provisions.
HB 1175: Staff from the Texas Health and Human Service Commission and the Texas Workforce Center must have at least four hours of training in family violence, including effects of family violence on a victim’s ability to receive financial assistance and/or join the workforce.
HB 3491: Domestic violence training for law enforcement must include preventing dual arrest whenever possible and determining predominant aggressor.
SB 15: Certain information maintained by family violence centers does not apply to disclosure requirements under public information laws. This includes name, address, or phone numbers of current or former employees, clients, donors, or board of directors. Also included is the physical layout and location of the family violence center.
SB 18: Interfering with an emergency phone call is a Class A misdemeanor.
SB 68: Dating violence and dating relationships are defined in addition to family violence, and adult victims are eligible for protective orders. Any adult may file for a PO to protect any child from family or dating violence.
SB 139: Harassment includes certain electronic contact and stalking. It is a felony of the 3rd degree or 2nd if there is a prior conviction.
SB 140: The court may not appoint joint managing conservators if the father rapes the mother and a pregnancy results, regardless of the previous relationship of the couple. The appointment of a parent as the sole managing conservator is NOT in the best interest of the child if there is a history or pattern of abuse by that parent against the other parent, a spouse or a child.
SB 199: It is unlawful to possess a firearm if the person is the respondent of a protective order or has been convicted of a Class A misdemeanor involving family violence. There is an exception for peace officers and offenders who were released from confinement or community supervision more than five years ago.
2003
HB 1364: Emergency shelters can provide care for minors and any children of the minor, if appropriate.
HB 2099: In determining the conservatorship of, possession, or access to a child, the court shall consider the issuance of a protective order against the parent in the two years prior to the filing of the suit.
HB 2819: A victim of family violence is now entitled to confidentiality of home address information in a tax appraisal district if the actor of family violence was convicted of a felony or a Class A misdemeanor.
SB 92: A landlord may not prohibit a person from calling police or emergency assistance in circumstances involving family violence. If the landlord interferes with that right, monetary compensation for one month’s rent and other costs is warranted.
SB 317: It is a violation of a protective order/MOEP to commit an act of family violence or communicate with the applicant or a member of the applicant’s family in any unauthorized way.
SB 1050: The state may not release identifying information regarding family violence centers, board members or special projects.
2005
HB 260: A protective order issued during a divorce may not be appealed until the divorce decree becomes final. A court may decline to accept a mediated settlement in custody or divorce cases if it finds that there is a history of family violence.
HB 1059: An agreed protective order is enforceable civilly or criminally.
SB 91: A Class A misdemeanor assault charge is increased to a 3rd Degree felony if the victim and offender are or were in a dating relationship and the offender has been previously convicted of an offense against a dating partner or family or household member. An aggravated assault is increased to a 1st Degree felony if a deadly weapon is used during the commission of the offense and causes serious bodily injury against a dating partner or family or household member.
SB 1186: A victim of family violence may terminate a lease without penalty if she/he provides the landlord a copy of the protective order or a temporary injunction.
2007
HB 121: Requires school districts to develop policies on teen dating violence.
HB 550: To receive worker’s compensation, family violence or stalking victims may provide a protective order, a police report or a physician’s statement describing the violence.
HB 764: The family protection fee collected by a court may not exceed $15.
HB 772: To be qualified to conduct a social study in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, a person must complete at least eight hours of family violence training.
HB 2176: The State Board of Education must develop a program to be used in high school health curriculum and that includes skills relating to the prevention of family violence.
HB 2210: At the family violence victim’s request, law enforcement must provide free of charge information related to the names of the suspect and complainant and the date, time and location of the incident, as long as it’s not exempt from disclosure under public information statutes.
HB 3692: A Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection and temporary protective orders are criminally enforceable if the respondent has been served. Additionally, violations of certain orders may result in denial of bail.
SB 74: The Address Confidentiality Program creates an option for victims of family violence, stalking and sexual assault to keep their physical address confidential in certain circumstances.
SB 1470: The court must provide notice to a person convicted of a Class A misdemeanor family violence offense that he/she may not possess or transport firearms or ammunition.
2009
HB 72: Victims of family violence who are involved in a divorce suit do not have to wait 60 days for the divorce to be finalized.
HB 1012: In determining the risk of international abduction of a child, the court must consider family violence and the actions a victim took to protect her from imminent harm.
HB 1506: Judges may require a family violence offender to participate in a Global Positioning Monitoring System (GPS) as a condition of bond.
HB 2066: Strangulation and suffocation by an intimate partner is a third degree felony, unless it is a second or subsequent offense, in which case it may be charged as a second degree felony.
HB 2240: Committing two or more acts, constituting assault involving family violence, within a 12 month period is a third degree felony.
HB 3303: Participants involved and information acquired in Domestic Violence Fatality Reviews cannot be subpoenaed for testimony.
SB 68: When state agencies issue rules regarding child care, they must consider family violence programs and distinguish between those services and more permanent day care facilities.
SB 82: Offenders who are granted community supervision must pay a $100 fee to a local, publically-funded family violence center.
SB 83: Even if the abuser is not a co-occupant, a family violence victim may terminate a lease by providing a court order and 30 days’ notice.
SB 1236: In addition to Class A defendants, persons convicted of a Class C family violence misdemeanor must be notified by the court that it is unlawful to carry or transport firearms or ammunition. If a person is cited for class C family violence, the citation must contain language that is unlawful to carry or transport firearms or ammunition.
2011
HB 1721: Victims of stalking may apply for a protective order, during any court proceeding at which the defendant appears before the court related to the stalking offense. Also in a hearing on an application for a protective order, a statement made by a child under age 14 that describes sexual abuse against the child is admissible.
HB 2624: When a military member is the suspect in a family violence incident report, is the respondent in a protective order, or is convicted of or granted deferred adjudication for an offense involving family violence, the military installation and the member’s commanding officer must be notified.
HB 2662 and SB 1551: A missing child includes a child taken or retained without the permission of the custodian and with the effect of depriving the custodian of possession of or access to the child. It does not include a child taken or retained in an effort to flee family violence.
SB 82: Stalking does not have to include physically following the person and can include behavior that causes a victim to fear injury to a new dating partner. Additionally, stalking can be prosecuted in any county in which any of the elements took place, and parties may introduce as evidence any relevant information about the victim and offender’s relationship that would help the judge or jury identify whether a reasonable person would fear the stalking behaviors.
SB 116: A person being victimized by her or his partner’s ex-spouse or ex-dating partner may file for a protective order against that person.
SB 218: DFPS may file for a protective order on behalf of a child. DFPS staff must also be trained on the benefits of a protective order as an alternative to removing children.
SB 250: Victims of stalking may apply for a protective order regardless of whether or not there is a court proceeding related to the criminal offense.
SB 279: Protective order applicants can request that interfering with the care, custody or control of an animal be included as a criminally prohibited act in the order.
SB 789: Family violence protective orders can last for more than two years if there was serious bodily injury or two previous protective orders involving the same parties and with findings of family violence.