SRC-TJG S.B. 1015 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1015
78R7333 JRD-FBy: Wentworth
Criminal Justice
4/6/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, under the Public Information Act, information held by a law
enforcement agency or prosecutor or filed with a court and that is
contained in a victim impact statement or was submitted for purposes of
preparing a victim impact statement is not confidential.  As proposed,
S.B. 1015 excepts certain information contained in a crime victim impact
statement from disclosure under the Public Information Act.  The exception
would apply to the name, social security number, address, telephone
number, and any other information that could be used to identify a crime
victim. 

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 Chapter 552C, Government Code, by adding Section
552.1325, as follows: 

Sec. 552.1325.  CRIME VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT: CERTAIN INFORMATION
CONFIDENTIAL.  (a) Defines "crime victim" and "victim impact statement."  

(b) Provides that certain identifying information that is held by a law
enforcement agency or prosecutor or filed with a court and that is
contained in a victim impact statement or was submitted for purposes of
preparing a victim impact statement is confidential. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.