By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2181               A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to prohibited adverse employment action against an   employee who in good faith reports child abuse or neglect.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 261.110(a), (b), and (c), Family Code,   are amended to read as follows:          (a)  In this section:                (1)  "Adverse employment action" means an action that   affects an employee's compensation, promotion, transfer, work   assignment, or performance evaluation, or any other employment   action that would dissuade a reasonable employee from making or   supporting a report of abuse or neglect under Section 261.101.                (2)  "Professional"[,  "professional"] has the meaning   assigned by Section 261.101(b).          (b)  An employer may not suspend or terminate the employment   of, take an adverse employment action against, or otherwise   discriminate against[,] a person who is a professional and who in   good faith:                (1)  reports child abuse or neglect to:                      (A)  the person's supervisor;                      (B)  an administrator of the facility where the   person is employed;                      (C)  a state regulatory agency; or                      (D)  a law enforcement agency; or                (2)  initiates or cooperates with an investigation or   proceeding by a governmental entity relating to an allegation of   child abuse or neglect.          (c)  A person whose employment is suspended or terminated,   who suffers an adverse employment action, or who is otherwise   discriminated against in violation of this section may sue for   injunctive relief, damages, or both.          SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to an adverse employment   action taken by an employer against an employee that occurs on or   after the effective date of this Act.  An adverse employment action   taken by an employer against an employee that occurs before that   date is governed by the law in effect on the date the action   occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for that   purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.