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HB 3268

AN ACT relating to the denial or reduction of an award otherwise payable

House Bill
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

Allows the attorney general to deny or reduce crime victims' compensation awards under specific circumstances, such as when the victim has not cooperated with law enforcement, bears partial responsibility for the incident, or was engaged in illegal activity related to the criminal conduct. The changes apply only to criminal incidents occurring on or after September 1, 2025, potentially limiting compensation for victims who are deemed partially culpable or non-cooperative with authorities.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to the denial or reduction of an award otherwise payable
under the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Article 56B.107(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
(a)  Except as otherwise provided by this article, the
attorney general may deny or reduce an award otherwise payable:
(1)  if the claimant or victim has not substantially
cooperated with an appropriate law enforcement agency;
(2)  if, as a result of the claimant's or victim's
behavior, the claimant or victim bears a share of the
responsibility for the act or omission giving rise to the claim;
(3)  to the extent that pecuniary loss is recouped from
(4)  if the claimant or victim was engaging in an
activity that at the time of the criminally injurious conduct was:
(A)  prohibited by law, including a rule; and
(B)  related to the criminally injurious conduct.
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, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the denial or reduction of an award otherwise payable