SB1120

SB1120 expands and reorganizes crime victims’ information rights and extends the duration of specified family-violence protective orders. Signed June 20, 2025, it took effect September 1, 2025. Its criminal-offense changes apply only to offenses committed on or after that date; if any element occurred earlier, former law controls. The chapter 85 protective-order changes separately apply only to orders rendered on or after that date. Final law, sections 10–12; Official history.

Who is covered: chapter 56A’s definition of victim expressly adds family violence, stalking and certain protective-order or bond violations committed through assault, aggravated assault, sexual assault or stalking. For that last category, a family or dating relationship is not required. The new chapter-specific family-violence definition combines eight listed Penal Code provisions with specified dating, family or household relationships; it is not a rewrite of every Texas definition of family violence. Final law, section 1; FA 71.0021, subsection (b); FA 71.003; FA 71.005.

Evidence and case decisions: new article 56A.0521 gives covered victims, guardians and close relatives of deceased victims request-based rights to information about collected evidence and analysis, notification when a crime-lab processing request is submitted, and consultation with the prosecutor about not filing or dismissing charges, pretrial intervention and plea bargains. Information about collected evidence may be withheld if disclosure would interfere with investigation or prosecution, but an estimated disclosure date must be provided. They must also be told that the prosecutor does not represent them personally. Consultation is not a power to veto the prosecutor’s decision. Final law, section 5.

People requesting these notices or information must provide and update contact information with both the prosecutor and investigating agency, including an email address if choosing email notifications. A designated person or victim-service entity may receive the crime-lab submission notice, but the accused person may not be designated. The act also bars the accused from being the designated recipient of the evidence-related notices in the separate sexual-assault provision. It does not authorize a designee to receive every kind of case information automatically. Final law, sections 4–5; CR 56A.0525.

Stalking is moved, not erased: stalking is removed from article 56A.052 and addressed in new article 56A.0521. The new provision preserves the protective-order information and application rights described in 56A.052(d), including information about where to apply and the prosecutor’s qualified role in filing. It does not reproduce every sexual-assault-specific right, such as the separate DNA-comparison, HIV and forensic-examination provisions. If a victim also qualifies under 56A.052, or the two articles conflict, 56A.052 controls. Final law, sections 3–5; CR 56A.052; CR 7B.001.

Parole information: on request, notifications cover parole proceedings, release for the offense involving the victim, the required county of residence and nonconfidential parole conditions, including stay-away or battering-intervention conditions. They also cover new charges while on that parole if the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) knows about them, return warrants under Government Code 508.251, and parole revocation for the victim’s offense. A victim’s advocate may obtain this information on the victim’s behalf. The parole-record confidentiality section does not apply to information supplied under article 56A.051; this is not a declaration that every parole file is public. Final law, sections 2 and 9; GV 508.251; GV 508.313.

Protective-order duration: the new Family Code rules keep a covered order effective until two years after the relevant case ends: the signed divorce decree, the final order in a parent-child case, or final disposition of a criminal case charging family violence under Penal Code Title 5 or continuous violence against the family under section 25.11. For the divorce and parent-child rules, the applicant or a member of the applicant’s family or household must be the other party or also a party, as specified. These rules apply to an order actually rendered; they do not automatically issue an order merely because a case is filed. Final law, sections 7–8.

The act extends existing review and confinement-related provisions to these new duration categories. For an order lasting more than two years, after the first review motion, at most one subsequent review motion is allowed, no sooner than one year after the ruling on the prior motion. If the person is confined when the order would expire, or the order would expire no later than one year after release, expiration is extended to one year after release for a sentence longer than five years, or two years after release for a sentence of five years or less. The first review motion remains subject to its existing waiting period of one year from the date the order was rendered, and a court may end an order if it finds no continuing need. The special findings requirement for a longer order under 85.025(a-1) remains tied to that subsection. Final law, sections 7–8; FA 85.025; FA 85.001.