Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 161.205 · Subchapter E. ENFORCEMENT
CIVIL PENALTY FOR FRIVOLOUS OR BAD-FAITH COMPLAINT.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) The commission may impose a civil penalty of not more than $4,000 for the filing of a frivolous or bad-faith complaint. In this subsection, "frivolous complaint" means a complaint that is groundless and brought in bad faith or is groundless and brought for the purpose of harassment.
(b) In addition to other penalties, the respondent may commence a civil action on the respondent's own behalf against any person who filed a frivolous complaint against the respondent. Any action under this chapter shall be brought in a district court in the county. The court may award costs and attorney's fees.
(c) A person may file a sworn complaint with the commission, in accordance with Section 161.155, alleging that a complaint relating to that person filed with the commission is frivolous or brought in bad faith. A complaint may be filed under this subsection without regard to whether the complaint alleged to be frivolous or brought in bad faith is pending before the commission or has been resolved. The commission shall act on a complaint made under this subsection as provided by Subchapter D.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 799 (S.B. 1368), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LG/htm/LG.161.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 78d80108ead187a65cf8c42280ad8ed031c2b03fcce5025e534675047f3320d2
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
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