| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to crime victims' compensation for certain relocation and |
|
|
housing rental expenses. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Article 56B.106(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The attorney general may, after considering the |
|
|
circumstances of the offense, award a [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,] or a child who is a victim of a murder attempt [in the |
|
|
child's place of residence may receive] a one-time assistance |
|
|
payment in an amount not to exceed: |
|
|
(1) $2,000 to be used for relocation expenses, |
|
|
including expenses for rental deposit, utility connections, |
|
|
expenses relating to moving belongings, motor vehicle mileage |
|
|
expenses, and for an out-of-state move, transportation, lodging, |
|
|
and meals; and |
|
|
(2) $1,800 to be used for housing rental expenses. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to compensation for criminally injurious conduct occurring on or |
|
|
after the effective date of this Act. Compensation for criminally |
|
|
injurious conduct occurring before the effective date of this Act |
|
|
is governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred, |
|
|
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
|
|
purposes of this section, criminally injurious conduct occurred |
|
|
before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
|
|
underlying the conduct occurred before that date. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |