The department must create a sexual offense prevention and response program and appoint or designate a coordinator, subject to available state funds.
Sec. 432.173. STATE SEXUAL OFFENSE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM; COORDINATOR. (a) To the extent state funds are available for this purpose, the department shall establish a state sexual offense prevention and response program and employ or designate a state sexual offense response coordinator to perform victim advocacy services, including ensuring that persons who are victims of sexual assault or indecent assault receive appropriate responsive care and understand the options available for reporting the assault. (b) The coordinator shall accept reports for alleged offenses under Sections 22.011, 22.012, and 22.021, Penal Code, made by a person who is a member of the Texas military forces against an accused person who is a member of the Texas military forces. (c) The coordinator shall notify each person who is a victim of a sexual assault reported under Subsection (b) of their eligibility for crime victims' compensation under Chapter 56B, Code of Criminal Procedure. (d) The program and coordinator are within the department but shall exercise the authority granted under this subchapter independently from the chain of command within the department. (e) The coordinator must allow a member of the Texas military forces who is the victim of an alleged offense under Section 22.011, 22.012, or 22.021, Penal Code, to: (1) file with the coordinator a restricted or unrestricted report or file a restricted report and later convert that report to an unrestricted report; (2) participate in the United States Department of Defense Catch a Serial Offender program; and (3) receive notice when the coordinator is made aware that the accused person has been subsequently accused of an offense under Section 22.011, 22.012, or 22.021, Penal Code, by a service member or any other person. Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 846 (S.B. 623), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021.