Bill narrowing a reason to deny victims’ compensation awards

The text as introduced · 278 words

89R13679 CJD-D

By: Simmons
H.B. No. 3268

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the denial or reduction of an award otherwise payable

under the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Article 56B.107(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,

is amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this article, the

attorney general may deny or reduce an award otherwise payable:

(1) if the claimant or victim has not substantially

cooperated with an appropriate law enforcement agency;

(2) if, as a result of the claimant's or victim's

behavior, the claimant or victim bears a share of the

responsibility for the act or omission giving rise to the claim;

(3) to the extent that pecuniary loss is recouped from

a collateral source; or

(4) if the claimant or victim was engaging in an

activity that at the time of the criminally injurious conduct was :

(A) prohibited by law, including a rule ; and

(B) related to the criminally injurious conduct .

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to compensation for criminally injurious conduct occurring on or

after the effective date of this Act. Compensation for criminally

injurious conduct occurring before the effective date of this Act

is governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, criminally injurious conduct occurred

before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense

underlying the conduct occurred before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.