Signed by Governor Greg Abbott

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that requires all family violence convictions be reported to the Department of Public Safety.

Highlights:

• Requires a judge or justice to take the defendant’s plea in open court if the defendant is charged with an offense involving family violence (Sec. 3).

• Requires the clerk of the court exercising jurisdiction over a case in which an offender is charged with a misdemeanor that involves family violence, to report the applicable information regarding the person’s citation or arrest and the deposition of the case to the Department of Public Safety using a uniform incident fingerprint card or an electronic methodology (Sec. 5). 

• Defines “family violence” as any of the following, including (Sec. 3):

• An act by a member of a family or household against another member of the family or household that is intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault, or that is a threat that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assauly, or sexual assult, but doe snot include defensive measures to protect oneself;

• Abuse by a member of a family or household toward a child of the family or household; or 

• Dating violence. 

Full Bill Text