By Gallego H.B. No. 2085
77R6567 ATP-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the limits on compensation paid by the state to certain
1-3 victims of crime.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Articles 56.42(a) and (b), Code of Criminal
1-6 Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) Except as otherwise provided by this article, awards
1-8 payable to a victim and all other claimants sustaining pecuniary
1-9 loss because of injury or death of that victim may not exceed
1-10 $75,000 [$50,000] in the aggregate.
1-11 (b) In addition to an award payable under Subsection (a),
1-12 the attorney general may award an additional $75,000 [$50,000] for
1-13 extraordinary pecuniary losses, if the personal injury to a victim
1-14 is catastrophic and results in a total and permanent disability to
1-15 the victim, for lost wages and reasonable and necessary costs of:
1-16 (1) making a home or automobile accessible;
1-17 (2) obtaining job training and vocational
1-18 rehabilitation;
1-19 (3) training in the use of special appliances; and
1-20 (4) receiving home health care.
1-21 SECTION 2. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply
1-22 only to a claim for compensation from the compensation to victims
1-23 of crime fund based on an offense committed or a violation that
1-24 occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. For purposes of
2-1 this Act, a criminal offense is committed or a violation occurs
2-2 before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense
2-3 or violation occurs before that date.
2-4 (b) A claim for compensation from the compensation to
2-5 victims of crime fund based on an offense committed or a violation
2-6 that occurred before the effective date of this Act is covered by
2-7 the law in effect when the criminal offense was committed or the
2-8 violation occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for
2-9 that purpose.
2-10 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.