AUSTIN, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a wide range of new increases in the amount of financial assistance provided through the Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Program, or CVC.
The program was created to help the victims of violent crime. Some of the limit increases are the first since the 1990s.
The increased limits take effect for violent crimes committed on or after July 15, 2016.
The Texas CVC receives criminal court costs, fees and fines from convicted offenders to reimburse victims and their families for crime-related expenses of up to $50,000 – including loss of income, child care, and funeral and burial costs. No taxpayer dollars are involved.
“The untold story in the aftermath of violent crime is the deep financial toll it can take on survivors and their families who face crime-related expenses not reimbursed by other sources,” Paxton said. “While no amount of money can erase the pain inflicted on victims of violent crime, these increases in Texas CVC claim limits will help provide peace of mind for Texans already facing enormous difficulties in their road to recovery.”
The Texas CVC claim limit for a funeral and burial has been increased from $4,500 to $6,500.
Other changes include:
- Raising the loss of earnings and loss of support benefits from a maximum of $500 per week to $700.
- Reimbursing child care expenses from $100 per child per week to $300.
- Increasing the crime scene cleanup claim limit from $750 to $2,250.
- Raising the reimbursement for a sexual assault exam from $700 to $1,000.
- Reimbursing property seized at a crime scene from $750 to $1,000.