By: Alvarado, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) H.B. No. 1293
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 4, 2015;
  May 5, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
  Justice; May 13, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 13, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the confidentiality of identifying information of
  victims of stalking; creating a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 1, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended
  by adding Chapter 57A to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 57A. CONFIDENTIALITY OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF
  VICTIMS OF STALKING
         Art. 57A.01. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Name" means the legal name of a person.
               (2)  "Pseudonym" means a set of initials or a
  fictitious name chosen by a victim to designate the victim in all
  public files and records concerning the offense, including police
  summary reports, press releases, and records of judicial
  proceedings.
               (3)  "Public servant" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 1.07(a), Penal Code.
               (4)  "Victim" means a person who is the subject of:
                     (A)  an offense that allegedly constitutes
  stalking under Section 42.072, Penal Code; or
                     (B)  an offense that is part of the same criminal
  episode, as defined by Section 3.01, Penal Code, as an offense under
  Section 42.072, Penal Code.
         Art. 57A.02.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF FILES AND RECORDS.  (a)  The
  office of the attorney general shall develop and distribute to all
  law enforcement agencies of the state a pseudonym form to record the
  name, address, telephone number, and pseudonym of a victim.
         (b)  A victim may choose a pseudonym to be used instead of the
  victim's name to designate the victim in all public files and
  records concerning the offense, including police summary reports,
  press releases, and records of judicial proceedings. A victim who
  elects to use a pseudonym as provided by this article must complete
  a pseudonym form developed under this article and return the form to
  the law enforcement agency investigating the offense.
         (c)  A victim who completes and returns a pseudonym form to
  the law enforcement agency investigating the offense may not be
  required to disclose the victim's name, address, and telephone
  number in connection with the investigation or prosecution of the
  offense.
         (d)  A completed and returned pseudonym form is confidential
  and may not be disclosed to any person other than the victim
  identified by the pseudonym form, a defendant in the case, or the
  defendant's attorney, except on an order of a court of competent
  jurisdiction. The court finding required by Subsection (g) is not
  required to disclose the confidential pseudonym form to the victim
  identified by the pseudonym form, the defendant in the case, or the
  defendant's attorney.
         (e)  If a victim completes and returns a pseudonym form to a
  law enforcement agency under this article, the law enforcement
  agency receiving the form shall:
               (1)  remove the victim's name and substitute the
  pseudonym for the name on all reports, files, and records in the
  agency's possession;
               (2)  notify the attorney for the state of the pseudonym
  and that the victim has elected to be designated by the pseudonym;
               (3)  provide to the victim a copy of the completed
  pseudonym form showing that the form was returned to the law
  enforcement agency; and
               (4)  maintain the form in a manner that protects the
  confidentiality of the information contained on the form.
         (f)  An attorney for the state who receives notice that a
  victim has elected to be designated by a pseudonym shall ensure that
  the victim is designated by the pseudonym in all legal proceedings
  concerning the offense.
         (g)  A court of competent jurisdiction may order the
  disclosure of a victim's name, address, and telephone number only
  if the court finds that:
               (1)  the information is essential in the trial of the
  defendant for the offense;
               (2)  the identity of the victim is in issue; or
               (3)  the disclosure is in the best interest of the
  victim.
         (h)  Except as required or permitted by other law or by court
  order, a public servant or other person who has access to or obtains
  the name, address, telephone number, or other identifying
  information of a victim younger than 17 years of age may not release
  or disclose the identifying information to any person who is not
  assisting in the investigation, prosecution, or defense of the
  case. This subsection does not apply to the release or disclosure
  of a victim's identifying information by:
               (1)  the victim; or
               (2)  the victim's parent, conservator, or guardian,
  unless the victim's parent, conservator, or guardian allegedly
  committed the offense described by Article 57A.01(4).
         Art. 57A.03.  OFFENSE. (a)  A public servant with access to
  the name, address, or telephone number of a victim 17 years of age
  or older who has chosen a pseudonym under this chapter commits an
  offense if the public servant knowingly discloses the name,
  address, or telephone number of the victim to any person who is not
  assisting in the investigation or prosecution of the offense or to
  any person other than the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or
  the person specified in the order of a court of competent
  jurisdiction.
         (b)  Unless the disclosure is required or permitted by other
  law, a public servant or other person commits an offense if the
  person:
               (1)  has access to or obtains the name, address, or
  telephone number of a victim younger than 17 years of age; and
               (2)  knowingly discloses the name, address, or
  telephone number of the victim to any person who is not assisting in
  the investigation or prosecution of the offense or to any person
  other than the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or a person
  specified in an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
         (c)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under
  Subsection (b) that the actor is:
               (1)  the victim; or
               (2)  the victim's parent, conservator, or guardian,
  unless the victim's parent, conservator, or guardian allegedly
  committed the offense described by Article 57A.01(4).
         (d)  An offense under this article is a Class C misdemeanor.
         Art. 57A.04.  EFFECT ON OTHER LAW. This chapter does not
  affect:
               (1)  a victim's responsibility to provide documentation
  of stalking under Section 92.0161, Property Code; or
               (2)  a person's power or duty to disclose the documented
  information as provided by Subsection (j) of that section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 92.0161(c-1), Property Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c-1)  If the tenant is a victim or a parent or guardian of a
  victim of stalking under Section 42.072, Penal Code, that takes
  place during the preceding six-month period on the premises or at
  any dwelling on the premises, the tenant shall provide to the
  landlord or the landlord's agent a copy of:
               (1)  documentation of a protective order issued under
  Chapter 7A or Article 6.09, Code of Criminal Procedure, except for a
  temporary ex parte order; or
               (2)  documentation of the stalking from a provider of
  services described by Subsection (c)(1), (2), or (3) and:
                     (A)  a law enforcement incident report[;] or,
                     [(B)]  if a law enforcement incident report is
  unavailable, another record maintained in the ordinary course of
  business by a law enforcement agency; and
                     (B)  if the report or record described by
  Paragraph (A) identifies the victim by means of a pseudonym, as
  defined by Article 57A.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, a copy of a
  pseudonym form completed and returned under Article 57A.02 of that
  code.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than October 1, 2015, the office of the
  attorney general shall develop and distribute to all law
  enforcement agencies of the state a pseudonym form to record the
  name, address, telephone number, and pseudonym of a victim as
  required by Article 57A.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by
  this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
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