BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2079
86R9472 ADM-F	By: Coleman et al. (Miles)
	Administration
	4/30/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

On May 15, 2018, Sir Romeo Milam was watching television with his grandmother in their apartment. Outside, two groups of individuals began a shootout and a stray bullet struck Sir Romeo, only four years old at the time. He would eventually spend the next seven months in the hospital, undergoing numerous surgeries and physical therapy.

Medical bills for the family have reached the millions, leaving them little to help relocate from their apartment, which is both unsafe and a scene of severe hardship.

H.B. 2079 makes child victims of attempted murders that occur within their own homes eligible for relocation cost reimbursement under the Crime Victims' Compensation Program.

Reimbursement under the program provides a maximum of $2,000 in one-time assistance to pay for rental deposits, mover hiring costs, or other upfront relocation costs. The program also provides up to three months of rent assistance not to exceed $1,800.

Support for H.B. 2079 will come from advocacy groups like Crime Stoppers of Houston.

There is no known opposition to H.B. 2079.    

H.B. 2079 amends current law relating to compensation under the Crime Victims' Compensation Act for certain expenses.

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 Article 56.42(d), Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows:

(d) Authorizes a victim of stalking, family violence, or trafficking of persons, a victim of sexual assault who is assaulted in the victim's place of residence, or a child who is a victim of a murder attempt in the child's place of residence, rather than a victim who is a victim of stalking, family violence, or trafficking of persons, or a victim of sexual assault who is assaulted in the victim's place of residence, to receive a onetime-only assistance payment in a certain amount for certain specified expenses.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. Provides that for purposes of this section, a criminal offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.