Kolkhorst’s bill raising awards for disabled victims

The text as introduced · 352 words

89R12110 MCF-D

By: Kolkhorst
S.B. No. 1336

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the amount of certain awards under the Crime Victims'

Compensation Act.

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

SECTION 1. Articles 56B.106(b) and (e), Code of Criminal

Procedure, are amended to read as follows:

(b) In addition to an award payable under Subsection (a),

the attorney general may award not more than $100,000 [ $75,000 ] for

extraordinary pecuniary loss if the personal injury to a victim is

catastrophic and results in a total and permanent disability to the

victim. An award described by this subsection may be made for lost

wages and the reasonable and necessary costs of:

(1) making a home or motor vehicle accessible;

(2) obtaining job training and vocational

rehabilitation;

(3) training in the use of a special appliance;

(4) receiving home health care;

(5) durable medical equipment;

(6) rehabilitation technology; and

(7) long-term medical expenses incurred as a result of

medically indicated treatment for the personal injury.

(e) The attorney general by rule may establish a limitation

on any other pecuniary loss compensated under this chapter,

including a limitation on pecuniary loss incurred as a result of a

claimant's travel to and attendance of a deceased victim's funeral.

A limitation established under this subsection on pecuniary loss

incurred for funeral and burial expenses, including expenses

related to a claimant's travel to and attendance of a deceased

victim's funeral, may not be less than $9,000.

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.