By: Pena (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.B. No. 3585
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2007;
  May 2, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
  Justice; May 18, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the provision of a computerized victim notification
  system to certain state agencies and to counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 56.541(e), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (e)  The attorney general may use money appropriated from the
  compensation to victims of crime fund for grants or contracts
  supporting victim-related services or assistance, including
  support for private Texas nonprofit corporations that provide
  victim-related civil legal services directly to victims, immediate
  family members of victims, or claimants and for the contract
  described by Article 56.16. A grant supporting victim-related
  services or assistance is governed by Chapter 783, Government Code.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56.16 to read as follows:
         Art. 56.16.  VICTIM NOTIFICATION SYSTEM. (a)  The attorney
  general shall operate, through a service contract with a third
  party, a statewide automated victim notification system.  The
  attorney general shall operate the system in a manner that allows
  counties of this state and state agencies providing services to
  victims, guardians of victims, or close relatives of deceased
  victims to access the system without entering into any contract
  with the third party with which the attorney general has a service
  contract.
         (b)  The system operated under Subsection (a) must provide
  information to counties and state agencies described by Subsection
  (a) regarding:
               (1)  court proceedings relating to a defendant in a
  victim's case; and
               (2)  the release, transfer, or escape of a defendant
  convicted in a victim's case.
         (c)  This article does not create a cause of action against
  the state or a state agency, official, or employee.
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act and in accordance with the terms of the contract, the
  office of the attorney general shall amend any existing contract
  with a third party for the provision of a statewide automated victim
  notification system to comply with Article 56.16, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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