87R4612 CAE-D
 
  By: Harris, Allison, Ramos, Leach, et al. H.B. No. 1071
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the presence of a qualified facility dog or qualified
  therapy animal 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 OR
  QUALIFIED THERAPY ANIMAL IN COURT PROCEEDING. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "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.
               (2)  "Qualified therapy animal" means an animal that
  successfully completes a program operated by an organization that
  registers, insures, or certifies a therapy animal and the animal's
  handler as meeting or exceeding the standards of practice in
  animal-assisted interventions.
         (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 or
  qualified therapy animal 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 or qualified therapy animal to accompany a witness
  testifying at the court proceeding if:
               (1)  the presence of the dog or animal 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 or animal.
         (d)  A handler who is trained to manage the qualified
  facility dog or qualified therapy animal must accompany the dog or
  animal 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 or qualified therapy animal during the court
  proceeding; and
               (2)  issue instructions to the jury, as applicable,
  regarding the presence of the dog or animal.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.