Texas Senate Bill SB 1804

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/3/25
• Out of Senate Committee: 4/10/25
• Voted on by Senate: 4/16/25
• Out of House Committee: 5/9/25
• Voted on by House: 5/21/25
• Governor Action: 6/20/25

Caption

Relating to restitution and compensation paid to victims of certain offenses for tattoo removal related to the offense.

Summary

SB 1804 expands Texas law governing restitution and victim compensation for trafficking and prostitution-related offenses by expressly adding tattoo removal as a covered expense. Under the bill, a court must order a defendant convicted of trafficking of persons or certain prostitution-related offenses to pay restitution for necessary rehabilitation costs, including medical, psychiatric, and psychological care, and for the removal of a tattoo the victim received as a result of force, fraud, or coercion tied to the offense. The bill also updates the Crime Victims’ Compensation Act to include tattoo removal in the definition of pecuniary loss and authorizes compensation of up to $3,000 for tattoo removal for victims of trafficking of persons. The measure amends Article 42.0372 and Article 56B.003 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and adds a new subsection to Article 56B.106. It broadens the restitution and compensation framework so that tattoo removal is treated as a recoverable victim expense, rather than a discretionary or uncategorized cost. The changes apply only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving prior offenses governed by existing law. The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House by a large margin, indicating broad bipartisan support for providing additional assistance to trafficking survivors and other victims of coercive offenses. The bill’s caption and structure suggest a victim-centered policy approach focused on recovery and reducing the long-term effects of exploitation. There was little visible contention in the available record, and no committee transcript excerpts were provided showing substantive debate. The main policy issue implicit in the bill is whether tattoo removal should be specifically funded through restitution and state compensation, but the voting history suggests that lawmakers largely agreed on the need to cover this expense for victims whose tattoos were imposed through trafficking or coercion. Any disagreement in the House appears to have been limited, given the 135-9 third-reading vote.

Impact

SB 1804 changes Texas criminal procedure and victim-compensation law by making tattoo removal an explicit restitution and compensation category for victims of trafficking and certain prostitution-related offenses. It expands the obligations of convicted defendants and the scope of state-administered victim compensation, while capping compensation for tattoo removal at $3,000. The bill affects courts, prosecutors, victims of trafficking, and the Crime Victims’ Compensation program, and it applies prospectively to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.

Sentiment

The bill was received positively overall and moved with little resistance. It passed the Senate 31-0 and the House 135-9, which indicates broad support for the bill’s victim-relief purpose. The available record suggests a consensus that tattoo removal is a meaningful part of rehabilitation for trafficking survivors and should be covered by restitution and compensation mechanisms.

Contention

No committee testimony or detailed floor debate is included, so specific objections are not documented in the record provided. The only apparent area of potential contention is the policy choice to require or authorize public and defendant-funded payment for tattoo removal, including the $3,000 cap and the expansion of compensation categories. However, the strong vote margins suggest that any concerns about cost, scope, or administration were limited or not persuasive to most legislators.