Bill > HB394

This bill modifies the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to expand the admissibility of hearsay statements in prosecuting sexual or assaultive offenses against children or people with disabilities. Specifically, the bill amends Article 38.072 to clarify that a victim's statement can be admitted as evidence regardless of the victim's age at the time the statement was originally made. This means that even if a victim was an adult when they made a statement about a past childhood assault, that statement could potentially be used in court. The bill will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply to criminal proceedings that commence on or after that date, while criminal proceedings that began before the effective date will be governed by the previous legal standard. This change could potentially provide more flexibility for prosecutors in cases involving sexual or assaultive offenses, particularly those involving historical child abuse, by allowing a wider range of victim statements to be considered as evidence.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB394