By Gallego                                      H.B. No. 2628

      75R6909 KEL-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to alternative uses for money in the compensation to

 1-3     victims of crime fund or in the compensation to victims of crime

 1-4     auxiliary fund.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Article 56.54, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

 1-7     amended by adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows:

 1-8           (h)  In addition to the purposes provided by Subsection (b),

 1-9     excess money in the compensation to victims of crime fund may be

1-10     transferred to the general revenue fund as provided by Article

1-11     56.541.

1-12           (i)  In addition to the purposes provided by Subsections (b)

1-13     and (c), the legislature may appropriate money in the compensation

1-14     to victims of crime fund or in the compensation to victims of crime

1-15     auxiliary fund to state agencies delivering or funding

1-16     victim-related services or assistance.  This subsection expires

1-17     August 31, 1998.

1-18           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal

1-19     Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56.541 to read as follows:

1-20           Art. 56.541.  EXCESS MONEY.  (a)  Not later than July 2 of

1-21     each year, the attorney general shall estimate:

1-22                 (1)  the amount of money that the attorney general

1-23     expects to be credited during the next fiscal year to the

1-24     compensation to victims of crime fund; and

 2-1                 (2)  the amount of money that the attorney general

 2-2     expects to be obligated under Article 56.54(b) during the next

 2-3     fiscal year for compensation to claimants or victims and for

 2-4     administrative expenses.

 2-5           (b)  If the attorney general estimates that in the next

 2-6     fiscal year the amount credited to the compensation to victims of

 2-7     crime fund will exceed obligations on the fund by more than $100

 2-8     million, the comptroller, as the amount in excess of $100 million

 2-9     becomes available, shall transfer that  excess amount to the

2-10     general revenue fund.

2-11           (c)  The attorney general may use any interest accrued on

2-12     money in the compensation to victims of crime fund or in the

2-13     compensation to victims of crime auxiliary fund for grants or

2-14     contracts supporting victim-related services or assistance.  A

2-15     grant supporting victim-related services or assistance is governed

2-16     by Chapter 783, Government Code.

2-17           (d)  The attorney general shall adopt rules necessary to

2-18     carry out the requirements of this article.

2-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.  The

2-20     attorney general shall make the first estimates required by Article

2-21     56.541, Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act, for the

2-22     fiscal year beginning September 1, 1998.

2-23           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.