BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2355
89R17321 MCF-F	By: Fairly (Parker)
	Criminal Justice
	5/16/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Program provides financial assistance to victims of violent crime, helping to cover expenses resulting from the crime. For this program to be administered effectively, the Office of the Attorney General must have access to critical information held by law enforcement agencies. However, this information can sometimes be obtained through public information requests, potentially exposing victims' private details�such as phone numbers and addresses�to individuals who may wish to harm them.

H.B. 2355 addresses this issue by ensuring information received by the attorney general remains confidential. This enables the attorney general to make prompt, informed decisions about victims' compensation while safeguarding sensitive information from public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

H.B. 2355 amends current law relating to the disclosure or release of certain information received by the attorney general regarding an application for compensation from the crime victims' compensation fund.

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 56B.058(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, to provide that an application for compensation under Chapter 56B (Crime Victims' Compensation) and any information, document, summary, or other record provided to or received, maintained, or created by the attorney general under this chapter, including a report released to the attorney general under Article 56B.054(f) (relating to requiring a law enforcement agency on request by the attorney general to release all reports to allow the attorney general to determine a claimant's qualification for compensation), is not subject to certain means of legal compulsion for release under certain provisions of the Government Code and this code.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.