SRC-TAG H.B. 670 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 670
78R4287 KCR-DBy: Phillips (Estes)
Criminal Justice
5/18/2003
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a victim of a sexual offense is allowed to have a
pseudonym used instead of the victim's actual name in public files and
records, including police summary reports, press releases and records of
judicial proceedings.  If the person is the victim of several offenses
that occurred in the same episode, the pseudonym may only be used for the
sexual offenses. Therefore, the true identity of the victim could be
ascertained from indictment records in which the victim's true name is
used for the non-sexual offenses.  H.B. 670 allows a victim to use a
pseudonym for public files and records of any offenses that occur during
the same criminal episode as a sexual offense.      

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Article 57.01(4), Code of Criminal Procedure, to
redefine "victim." 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2003.