Texas Human Resources Code 51A.003 – Notice to Victims
(a) The commission by rule shall adopt a written notice to be provided to victims of family violence, stalking, harassment, or terroristic threat to assist those victims in obtaining services. The commission shall use best practices in creating the written notice.
(b) The notice adopted under this section must include the following in both English and Spanish:
(1) a statement that it is a criminal offense for any person, including a member of the family or former member of the family, to cause physical injury or harm to a victim or to engage in conduct constituting stalking, harassment, or terroristic threat toward a victim;
(2) a list of agencies and social organizations that the victim may contact for assistance with safety planning, shelter, or protection;
(3) contact information for:
(A) the National Domestic Violence Hotline;
(B) victim support services at the Department of Public Safety; and
(C) the commission’s family violence program; and
(4) information regarding the legal rights of a victim, including information regarding:
(A) the filing of criminal charges and obtaining a protective order or a magistrate’s order for emergency protection; and
(B) the ability of a tenant who is a victim of family violence to vacate a dwelling and terminate a residential lease.
Terms Used In Texas Human Resources Code 51A.003
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Rule: includes regulation. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The notice adopted under this section may include any other information the commission considers useful to a victim of family violence, stalking, harassment, or terroristic threat.
(d) The commission shall periodically update the notice required under this section.
(e) The commission shall make the notice adopted under this section available on the commission’s Internet website in both English and Spanish.