S.B. No. 843
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to disclosure and use of certain information regarding the
  Crime Victims' Compensation Act.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56.65 to read as follows:
         Art. 56.65.  DISCLOSURE AND USE OF INFORMATION. (a)  This
  article does not apply to information made confidential by law.
         (b)  An application for compensation under this subchapter
  and any information, document, summary, or other record provided to
  or received, maintained, or created by the attorney general under
  this subchapter is:
               (1)  except as provided by Section 552.132(c),
  Government Code, not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552 of
  that code; and
               (2)  except as provided by Subsection (c), not subject
  to disclosure, discovery, subpoena, or other means of legal
  compulsion for release.
         (c)  The attorney general may not release or disclose an
  application for compensation under this subchapter, or any
  information, document, summary, or other record provided to or
  received, maintained, or created by the attorney general under this
  subchapter, except:
               (1)  by court order for good cause shown, if the order
  includes a finding that the information is not available from any
  other source;
               (2)  with the consent of:
                     (A)  the claimant or victim; or
                     (B)  the person that provided the information to
  the attorney general;
               (3)  to an employee or other person under the direction
  of the attorney general;
               (4)  to another crime victims' compensation program
  that meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. Section 10602(b);
               (5)  to a person authorized by the attorney general to
  receive the information in order to:
                     (A)  conduct an audit as required by state or
  federal law;
                     (B)  provide a review or examination under Article
  56.38, 56.385, or 56.39 or under another provision of this
  subchapter for the purpose of determining the appropriateness of an
  award under this subchapter;
                     (C)  prevent, deter, or punish fraud related to
  this subchapter; or
                     (D)  assert subrogation or restitution rights;
               (6)  as the attorney general determines necessary to
  enforce this chapter, including presenting the application,
  information, document, summary, or record in court; or
               (7)  in response to a subpoena that is issued in a
  criminal proceeding and that requests an application for
  compensation under this subchapter, subject to Subsection (d).
         (d)  If responding to a subpoena described by Subsection
  (c)(7), the attorney general shall release only the victim's
  completed application form as described by Article 56.36(a) after
  redacting any confidential information described by Section
  552.132(b), Government Code.  The release of a victim's completed
  application form under this subsection does not affect the
  authority of the court to order the release or disclosure of
  additional information under this article.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a request for information that is received on or after the
  effective date of this Act.  A request for information that was
  received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  law in effect on the date the request was received, and the former
  law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 843 passed the Senate on
  March 29, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 843 passed the House on
  May 2, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, one present
  not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor