🟢Relating to rights of a victim, guardian of a victim, or close relative of a deceased victim in certain criminal cases involving family violence, sexual or assaultive offenses, stalking, or a violation of a protective order or condition of bond.

🟢 SB 1120: Expanding Victims’ Rights and Parole Notifications

What it says it does:
SB 1120 says it strengthens the rights of victims in cases involving family violence, stalking, and protective-order violations. It promises to make sure victims are informed, heard, and protected as their cases move through court and parole systems.

What it actually changes:
It updates the Code of Criminal Procedure to clearly define family violence, expands who qualifies as a victim, and gives those victims the right to receive updates about evidence, court actions, and parole decisions. It also allows advocates to get this information on behalf of victims, helping those who might not be able to navigate the system alone.

Who is pushing for it:
Victim advocacy organizations, police associations, and community safety groups supported the bill. They argued it closes long-standing gaps that left family violence victims without consistent updates or input.

Who benefits:
Victims and their families gain better access to information that affects their safety. Advocates get clearer authority to act for victims. The justice system benefits from stronger communication between prosecutors, parole boards, and survivors.

Who gets left out or exposed:
Victims who do not know they must formally request these rights could still be overlooked. Counties without strong victim services may struggle to implement the new notice requirements consistently.

Why this matters long term:
It moves Texas closer to real transparency in criminal justice. Information and safety updates can prevent retraumatization and give victims more trust in the system. The next step will be making sure the law’s promises are carried out equally across all 254 counties.

What to watch next:
Watch how parole offices, prosecutors, and local law enforcement implement the new notification systems. Public reporting or audits could be key to ensuring the law works in practice, not just on paper.

Bottom line:
SB 1120 gives victims of family violence and stalking a stronger voice and better information. It is a people-focused reform that depends on local follow-through to reach every Texan it is meant to protect.

Questions to ask lawmakers:

1. Many of these rights require the victim to request them. What is being done to make sure victims are clearly told how to request these rights in every county?
2. How will Texas measure whether parole and evidence notifications are actually being delivered on time, and would you support regular public reporting on compliance?
3. What safeguards are in place to prevent uneven enforcement, where victims in well funded counties get real updates but victims in rural counties get silence?


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