Relating to the payment of restitution, the official text

S.B. No. 1666

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.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1666 passed the Senate on

May 1, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1666 passed the House on

May 15, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, two

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

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Governor