BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1913 By: Schatzline Criminal Jurisprudence Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law imposes various residency and employment restrictions on registered sex offenders, particularly those convicted of offenses against minors. However, the bill author has informed the committee that there are limited restrictions on how close an offender can be to their victim's home after release from incarceration and that this gap has led to instances where victims have been retraumatized by encountering their offenders in their communities. The bill author has also informed the committee that several states have adopted policies to ensure that victims do not have to live in fear of running into their abusers. H.B. 1913, Brooke's Boundary, seeks to protect victims of sexual offenses from further trauma by prohibiting a registered sex offender from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of a sexual offense. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 1913 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to prohibit a person subject to registration under the sex offender registration program from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of any offense for which the person is subject to that registration. This prohibition does not apply to a person subject to registration under the program if such a victim moves to a residence that is within 2,500 feet of the person's residence. The bill requires an official of a penal institution to inform such a person of the prohibition and that exception before their release from the penal institution. H.B. 1913 applies to a person required to register under the sex offender registration program on or after the bill's effective date, regardless of whether the offense or conduct for which the person is required to register occurs before, on, or after the bill's effective date. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1913
By: Schatzline
Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1913
By: Schatzline
Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law imposes various residency and employment restrictions on registered sex offenders, particularly those convicted of offenses against minors. However, the bill author has informed the committee that there are limited restrictions on how close an offender can be to their victim's home after release from incarceration and that this gap has led to instances where victims have been retraumatized by encountering their offenders in their communities. The bill author has also informed the committee that several states have adopted policies to ensure that victims do not have to live in fear of running into their abusers. H.B. 1913, Brooke's Boundary, seeks to protect victims of sexual offenses from further trauma by prohibiting a registered sex offender from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of a sexual offense.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1913 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to prohibit a person subject to registration under the sex offender registration program from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of any offense for which the person is subject to that registration. This prohibition does not apply to a person subject to registration under the program if such a victim moves to a residence that is within 2,500 feet of the person's residence. The bill requires an official of a penal institution to inform such a person of the prohibition and that exception before their release from the penal institution. H.B. 1913 applies to a person required to register under the sex offender registration program on or after the bill's effective date, regardless of whether the offense or conduct for which the person is required to register occurs before, on, or after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law imposes various residency and employment restrictions on registered sex offenders, particularly those convicted of offenses against minors. However, the bill author has informed the committee that there are limited restrictions on how close an offender can be to their victim's home after release from incarceration and that this gap has led to instances where victims have been retraumatized by encountering their offenders in their communities. The bill author has also informed the committee that several states have adopted policies to ensure that victims do not have to live in fear of running into their abusers. H.B. 1913, Brooke's Boundary, seeks to protect victims of sexual offenses from further trauma by prohibiting a registered sex offender from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of a sexual offense.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1913 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to prohibit a person subject to registration under the sex offender registration program from going within 2,500 feet of the residence of a victim of any offense for which the person is subject to that registration. This prohibition does not apply to a person subject to registration under the program if such a victim moves to a residence that is within 2,500 feet of the person's residence. The bill requires an official of a penal institution to inform such a person of the prohibition and that exception before their release from the penal institution.
H.B. 1913 applies to a person required to register under the sex offender registration program on or after the bill's effective date, regardless of whether the offense or conduct for which the person is required to register occurs before, on, or after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.