Bill widens who counts as a dead victim’s close relative

The text as introduced · 297 words

90R3491 JSC-D

By: Little
H.B. No. 1084

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the definition of "close relative of a deceased victim"

for purposes of the rights of certain crime victims.

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

SECTION 1. Article 56A.001(3), Code of Criminal Procedure,

is amended to read as follows:

(3) "Close relative of a deceased victim" means :

(A) a person who:

(i) [ (A) ] was the spouse of a deceased

victim at the time of the victim's death; or

(ii) [ (B) ] is a parent or adult brother,

sister, or child of a deceased victim ; or

(B) the nearest relative of the victim by

consanguinity, if the persons described by Paragraph (A) are

deceased or are incapacitated due to physical or mental illness or

infirmity .

SECTION 2. Section 57.001(1), Family Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(1) "Close relative of a deceased victim" means :

(A) a person who was the spouse of a deceased

victim at the time of the victim's death or who is a parent or adult

brother, sister, or child of the deceased victim ; or

(B) the nearest relative of the victim by

consanguinity, if the persons described by Paragraph (A) are

deceased or are incapacitated due to physical or mental illness or

infirmity .

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to

criminally injurious conduct that occurs on or after the effective

date of this Act. Criminally injurious conduct that occurred

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.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.