This website will be unavailable from Friday, April 26, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 29, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.

                                                                                

78R3982 EMT-D

By:  Deshotel                                                     H.B. No. 1361



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of the compensation to victims of crime fund to 
reimburse the reasonable costs of certain victims' medical 
examinations.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Article 56.06(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(a)  If a [A] law enforcement agency [that] requests a 
medical examination of a victim of an alleged sexual assault for use 
in the investigation or prosecution of the offense, the person 
performing the examination [shall pay all costs of the examination.  
On application to the attorney general, the law enforcement agency] 
is entitled to be reimbursed for the reasonable costs of that 
examination on application to the attorney general if the person is
[examination was performed by] a physician or [by] a sexual assault 
examiner or sexual assault nurse examiner, as defined by Section 
420.003, Government Code.  The person is entitled to reimbursement 
under this subsection without regard to whether the person is 
affiliated with a hospital.
	SECTION 2.  Article 56.54(k), Code of Criminal Procedure, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(k)  The attorney general may use the compensation to victims 
of crime fund to provide reasonable compensation to [reimburse] a 
provider [law enforcement agency] for performing [the reasonable 
costs of] a medical examination [that are incurred by the agency] 
under Article 56.06.
	SECTION 3.  Article 56.06(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is 
repealed.       
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to the compensation of a physician, sexual assault 
examiner, or sexual assault nurse examiner for an examination 
requested on or after September 1, 2003, under Article 56.06, Code 
of Criminal Procedure, as amended by this Act.  An examination 
requested before September 1, 2003, is covered by the law in effect 
when the request is made, and the former law is continued in effect 
for that purpose.