By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1666
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the payment of restitution.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 493.035, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (c-1), (c-2), and (c-3) to read as follows:
(c-1) The department shall transfer to the clerk of the
court that entered an order of restitution for which the department
received notice as described by Subsection (c)(1) a restitution
payment derived from unclaimed property for which a claim was filed
by the department as described by Subsection (a). The department
shall include with the restitution payment the last known address
of the victim available to the department, if any.
(c-2) The department shall post on the department's
Internet website the contact information for a department employee
who is able to respond to inquiries from county officials regarding
a transferred restitution payment.
(c-3) Information provided to the clerk of a court under
Subsection (c-1) is confidential and not subject to disclosure
under Chapter 552.
SECTION 2. Section 508.322, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (c-3) to
read as follows:
(c) When a parole panel orders the payment of restitution
from a releasee as provided by Article 42.037(h), Code of Criminal
Procedure, the department shall:
(1) collect the payment for disbursement to the
victim;
(2) deposit the payment in the releasee restitution
fund; [and]
(3) transmit the payment to the clerk of the court that
entered the order of restitution as soon as practicable for the
clerk to remit the payment to the victim; and
(4) provide at the time the payment is transmitted
under Subdivision (3) to the clerk of the court that entered the
order of restitution the last known address of the victim available
to the department, if any.
(c-3) Information provided to the clerk of a court under
Subsection (c)(4) is confidential and not subject to disclosure
under Chapter 552.
(e) If a victim who is entitled to restitution does not make
a claim for payment before the third [fifth] anniversary of the date
the clerk of the court receives the initial restitution payment or
if, after the victim makes a claim for payment, the clerk is unable
to locate the victim for a period of three [five] years after the
date the clerk last made a payment to the victim, any unclaimed
restitution payments being held by the clerk for payment to the
victim are presumed abandoned. The clerk of the court shall report
and deliver to the comptroller all unclaimed restitution payments
presumed abandoned under this section in the manner provided by
Chapter 77, Property Code.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.