JLC H.J.R. 1 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


APPROPRIATIONS
H.J.R. 1
By: Gallego
4-18-97
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND 

The Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund was created in 1979 to serve as
a financial safety net for victims of crime.  The primary purpose of the
fund is to reimburse victims for any out of pocket expenses incurred as a
result of crime.  The money in the fund comes directly from convicted
offenders in the form of court costs and other fees.  Administration of
the Fund is governed by the Subchapter B, Code of Criminal Procedure, the
Crime Victim's Compensation Act. 

PURPOSE

The purpose of this legislation is to propose a constitutional amendment
permanently dedicating the monies in the fund to be used only for
assisting victims of crime.  A constitutional dedication of the fund would
protect the monies from any attempts to statutorily remove the dedication
temporarily or permanently in order to spend the monies for purposes not
related to the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 1 of the Texas Constitution by adding Section 31.

Sec. 31 dedicates the compensation to Victims of Crime Fund and the
Compensation to Victims of Crime Auxiliary Fund in the state treasury and
mandates that these funds may only be expended for compensating victims of
crime and providing services to victims of crime, as provided by law.  In
the event of an episode of mass violence, the Legislative Budget Board is
authorized to spend money from these funds if all other sources of
emergency assistance, as authorized under state law, are depleted first. 

(d) Effective date: January 1, 1998

SECTION 2.  Submission clause.  The constitutional amendment will be
submitted to voters on the November 4, 1997 elections. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1 (a).  Changes "dedicated funds in the state treasury" to "each a
separate dedicated account in the general revenue fund". 

Subsection (b) adds the clause, "and paying the administrative costs of
providing services to victims of crime."