Rep. Mike Beltran

Surrendered Newborn Infants; Authorizes hospitals, emergency medical services stations, & fire stations to use newborn infant safety devices to accept surrendered newborn infants if device meets specified criteria; requires hospitals, emergency medical services stations, or fire stations to physically check & test devices at specified intervals; authorizes parent to leave newborn infant with medical staff or licensed healthcare professional at hospital after delivery of newborn infant; authorizes parent to surrender newborn infant by calling 911 & requesting EMS provider to meet at specified location to retrieve newborn infant.

Childhood Mental Health, Safety, and Welfare; Revises array of services offered by child & adolescent mental health system of care; requires specified professionals to complete course on technology addiction & pornography addiction; requires warning label be affixed to packaging of certain digital devices; requires commercial entity to verify age of individuals attempting to access certain material online; prohibits entity from retaining personal identifying information; revises definition of term "harmful to minors"; revises circumstances under which distribution of harmful material to minors is deemed to have occurred; provides exception for certain school-related materials; limits proportion of instructional time that may be delivered in an electronic or digital format; provides that instructional time includes certain standardized or progress monitoring assessments; requires schools to adopt policy regarding use of wireless communications device by students; requires district school boards to adopt policy that prohibits individual from posting student's image or location information on social media platform; removes time limit for parent of public school student to file petition to contest school board's adoption of specific instructional material; requires each district school board to annually publish list of websites for use by students for instructional purposes.

Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses; Provides that journalist’s privilege does not apply to defamation claims when defendant is professional journalist or media entity; revises provisions concerning venue for certain actions; provides for attorney fees & costs to prevailing plaintiffs in certain actions; specifies certain persons may not be considered public figures; provides certain allegations are defamatory per se; provides statutory damages to prevailing plaintiffs who are subject of such allegations; creates presumption that statement by anonymous source is presumptively false; provides public figure does not need to show actual malice to prevail in defamation action.

Personal Information of Judicial Officers and Family Members; Authorizes judicial officer or immediate family member of judicial officer to request removal of his or her personal identifying information from Internet in specified manner; requires removal of such information within certain period of time; prohibits person from taking certain actions; authorizes judicial officer or immediate family member of judicial officer to bring action seeking certain relief; authorizes court to award certain damages, court costs, & attorney fees.

Limited Liability Companies; Provides for protected series of series limited liability company & foreign protected series of foreign series limited liability company; provides for nature, governing law, operating agreement, registered agent, service, certificates, associated assets, associated members, protected-series transferable interest, management, liabilities, remedies, enforcement of judgments against, dissolution, & merger of such companies & protected series of such companies.

Political Advertisements for Nonpartisan Office; Provides political advertisement paid for by candidate for nonpartisan office may include certain statement; deletes provisions that prohibit political advertisements for candidates running for nonpartisan office from disclosing candidates' political party affiliation & that prohibit such candidates from campaigning based on party affiliation.

Campaign Finance; Prohibits political committee from transferring funds to another political committee; revises definition of term "contribution."

9/11 Heroes' Day; Requires Governor to proclaim September 11 of each year as "9/11 Heroes' Day"; requires day to be observed in public schools & by public exercise; requires certain middle & high school students to receive specified instruction; & requires State Board of Education to adopt certain revised social studies standards.

Fines and Fees; Authorizes clerk of court to accept monthly installment payments for administrative processing charge; revises methods by which clerk may accept payments for fees, charges, costs & fines; provides requirements for payment plan; authorizes court to modify payment plan or reduce, waive, or convert to community service outstanding fees, costs, or fines; prohibits clerk from sending incarcerated individual's account to collection agency or suspending incarcerated individual's driver license; revises offenses that would lead to suspension of driver license upon failure to comply with court directives.

Damages Recoverable in Wrongful Death Actions; Removes provision that prohibits adult children & parents of adult children from recovering certain damages in medical negligence suits.