SRC-DPW S.B. 1734 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1734
76R8408 PEP-DBy: Ratliff
Criminal Justice
3/29/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the maximum amount of money available to a victim of crime or
his dependants from the Crime Victims Compensation Fund is $50,000.
However, the $50,000 limit applies only to individuals who were victims of
a crime committed on or after September 1, 1999.  This bill would allow the
attorney general's office to extend benefits up to $50,000 to a dependant
of a crime victim if they had filed an application for compensation and the
application had been approved prior to September 1, 1997. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1734 provides that Article 56.42(a), Code of Criminal
Procedure, applies to an application for compensation for criminal
injurious conduct. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Provides that notwithstanding Section 2, Chapter 1434, Acts of
the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, Article 56.42(a), Code of
Criminal Procedure, as amended by that Act, applies to an application for
compensation for criminally injurious conduct (injury) occurring before the
effective date of that Act if the application was filed by, or on behalf
of, a dependant of a victim who died as a result of injury and in a timely
manner and was approved by the attorney general before the effective date
of this Act. 

SECTION 2.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.