84R18672 JRR-D
 
  By: Sanford H.B. No. 853
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 853:
 
  By:  Dutton C.S.H.B. No. 853
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the confidentiality of information identifying
  children who are victims of certain offenses; creating an offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 1, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended
  by adding Chapter 57A to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 57A. CONFIDENTIALITY OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF CHILD
  VICTIMS
         Art. 57A.01.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Child victim" means a person who while younger
  than 17 years of age was the subject of an offense or an attempted
  offense under the Penal Code.
               (2)  "Name" means the legal name of a person.
               (3)  "Pseudonym" means a set of initials or a
  fictitious name chosen by the parent or guardian of a child victim
  to designate the victim in all public files and records concerning
  the offense, including police summary reports, press releases, and
  records of judicial proceedings.
               (4)  "Public servant" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 1.07(a), Penal Code.
         Art. 57A.02.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF FILES AND RECORDS.  (a) The
  office of the attorney general shall develop and distribute to all
  law enforcement agencies of the state a pseudonym form to record the
  name, address, telephone number, and pseudonym of a child victim.
         (b)  A parent or guardian of a child victim may choose a
  pseudonym to be used instead of the victim's name to designate the
  victim in all public files and records concerning the offense,
  including police summary reports, press releases, and records of
  judicial proceedings. A parent or guardian who elects to use a
  pseudonym as provided by this article must complete a pseudonym
  form developed under this article and return the form to the law
  enforcement agency investigating the offense.
         (c)  A parent or guardian of a child victim who completes and
  returns a pseudonym form to the law enforcement agency
  investigating the offense may not be required to disclose the
  victim's name, address, and telephone number in connection with the
  investigation or prosecution of the offense.
         (d)  A completed and returned pseudonym form is confidential
  and may not be disclosed to any person other than a defendant in the
  case or the defendant's attorney, except on an order of a court of
  competent jurisdiction. The court finding required by Subsection
  (g) is not required to disclose the confidential pseudonym form to
  the defendant in the case or to the defendant's attorney.
         (e)  If a parent or guardian of a child victim completes and
  returns a pseudonym form to a law enforcement agency under this
  article, the law enforcement agency receiving the form shall:
               (1)  remove the victim's name and substitute the
  pseudonym for the name on all reports, files, and records in the
  agency's possession;
               (2)  notify the attorney for the state of the pseudonym
  and that a parent or guardian of the victim has elected that the
  victim be designated by the pseudonym; and
               (3)  maintain the form in a manner that protects the
  confidentiality of the information contained on the form.
         (f)  An attorney for the state who receives notice that a
  parent or guardian of a child victim has elected that the victim be
  designated by a pseudonym shall ensure that the victim is
  designated by the pseudonym in all legal proceedings concerning the
  offense.
         (g)  A court of competent jurisdiction may order the
  disclosure of a child victim's name, address, and telephone number
  only if the court finds that the information is essential in the
  trial of the defendant for the offense or the identity of the victim
  is in issue.
         (h)  Except as required or permitted by other law or by court
  order, a public servant or other person who has access to or obtains
  the name, address, telephone number, or other identifying
  information of a child victim may not release or disclose the
  identifying information to any person who is not assisting in the
  investigation, prosecution, or defense of the case. This
  subsection does not apply to the release or disclosure of a child
  victim's identifying information by:
               (1)  the victim; or
               (2)  the parent or guardian of the victim.
         Art. 57A.03.  OFFENSE.  (a)  Unless the disclosure is
  required or permitted by other law or by court order, a public
  servant or other person commits an offense if the person:
               (1)  has access to or obtains the name, address, or
  telephone number of a child victim; and
               (2)  knowingly discloses the name, address, or
  telephone number of the victim to any person who is not assisting in
  the investigation or prosecution of the offense or to any person
  other than the defendant, the defendant's attorney, or a person
  specified in an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
         (b)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under
  Subsection (a) that the actor is:
               (1)  the child victim; or
               (2)  the parent or guardian of the child victim.
         (c)  An offense under this article is a Class C misdemeanor.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.17(h), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (h)  Articles 57.01, [and] 57.02, 57A.01, and 57A.02, Code of
  Criminal Procedure, relating to the use of a pseudonym by a victim
  in a criminal case, apply in a proceeding held under this title.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than October 1, 2015, the office of the
  attorney general shall develop and distribute to all law
  enforcement agencies of the state a pseudonym form to record the
  name, address, telephone number, and pseudonym of a child victim as
  required by Article 57A.02, Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by
  this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.