H.B. 670 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 670
By: Phillips
Law Enforcement
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 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. 
  
House Bill 670 would allow 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

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 670 amends Chapter 57 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
Confidentiality of Identifying Information of Sex Offense Victims, to
define a victim as a person who was the subject of an offense under
Chapter 62 of the Code of Criminal Procedure or an offense that was part
of the same criminal episode as an offense under that chapter.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.