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Signed Into Law
Signed May 28, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
SB1666

Regular Session

Relating to the payment of restitution.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

SB1666: Government Affairs Overview

SB1666 accelerates the timeline for the state to seize unclaimed criminal restitution funds, reducing the abandonment period from five years to three years. This directly impacts any organization currently owed restitution from criminal judgments (e. g.

Sen. Judith Zaffirini·Senate Bill·Regular Session

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Business Impact

Who SB1666 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: low

Standard regulatory changes (effective 2025-09-01). Review during normal business planning.

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Technology

Affected business types:

  • Data centers
  • Technology companies
  • Software developers
  • Telecommunications providers
View all technology legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Settlement & Restitution Agreements: Review active agreements where criminal restitution is a component. Ensure payment schedules align with the new 3-year abandonment risk.
  • 2AR Aging Adjustments: Update internal accounting protocols to flag restitution receivables as "at risk of abandonment" at the 30-month mark.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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SB1666
Low
Relating to the payment of restitution.
Low Compliance Urgency
Requires routine attention
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
Comptroller of Public AccountsCounty Court ClerksTDCJ
Primary Author: Sen. Judith Zaffirini
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: August 31, 2025 (You must audit pending restitution files before the law takes effect to avoid immediate forfeiture of funds held between 3 and 5 years).
  • Agency Rulemaking: The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) must operationalize the transmission of victim data to county clerks. While formal rulemaking is not mandated, internal policy changes regarding data transfer protocols are expected prior to the effective date.

Immediate Action Plan

  • 1. Audit Open Judgments: Immediately generate a report of all criminal cases where your company is a named victim owed restitution.
  • 2. Update Addresses: Send formal notices of current address (certified mail recommended) to the District Clerk of the sentencing county and the TDCJ Victim Services Division for every open case.
  • 3. Check the Registry: Contact the relevant County Clerks to determine if they are currently holding funds for your organization that have not yet been disbursed.
  • 4. Notify Insurers: If you have received an insurance payout for a crime and the insurer holds subrogation rights, notify them of this statutory change immediately to protect their recovery interests and your loss history.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Settlement & Restitution Agreements: Review active agreements where criminal restitution is a component. Ensure payment schedules align with the new 3-year abandonment risk.
  • Third-Party Collections: If you utilize outside counsel or agencies to track criminal judgments, amend their engagement letters to require status checks on funds held by court clerks every 24 months, rather than the previous standard of 48 months.

Hiring/Training

  • Accounts Receivable/Legal Staff: Train staff responsible for recovering losses from criminal proceedings to proactively update the organization's address with *both* the sentencing court clerk and the TDCJ Victim Services Division. Passive reliance on the state to forward checks is now a higher-risk strategy.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • AR Aging Adjustments: Update internal accounting protocols to flag restitution receivables as "at risk of abandonment" at the 30-month mark.
  • Data Privacy: If your organization receives data regarding restitution (specifically involving other victims in multi-party cases), you must segregate this information. The law explicitly classifies victim contact information transferred from TDCJ to the Court Clerk as confidential and exempt from the Public Information Act.

Fees & Costs

  • No New Fees: There are no new filing fees.
  • Financial Risk: The "cost" is the potential total loss of restitution funds if they are deemed abandoned after 3 years.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • The "Cliff" Effect: The law does not explicitly grandfather funds currently held by clerks. On September 1, 2025, any restitution funds that have been sitting in the court registry for 3 to 5 years may immediately be classified as abandoned and transferred to the Comptroller.
  • "As Soon As Practicable": The statute requires TDCJ to transmit payments and victim data "as soon as practicable." This vague standard allows for administrative delays. Businesses should not expect real-time transfers of funds.
  • Data Accuracy: The law requires TDCJ to send the "last known address." It does not impose an affirmative duty on the agency to skip-trace or verify that address. If your address on file is three years old, the check will likely be returned and the funds seized.

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JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Feb 27, 2025
Passed Senate
May 1, 2025
Passed House
May 15, 2025
Signed
May 28, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsCorrectionsCorrections--parole, Probation & PardonsCrime Victims CompensationCriminal Justice, Texas Department ofInternet
03

Senate Authors

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDemocrat · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. William MetcalfRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Sen. Judith Zaffirini

View all bills by Sen. Judith Zaffirini

Related by Topic

View more Corrections legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB1666

Q

What does Texas SB1666 do?

SB1666 accelerates the timeline for the state to seize unclaimed criminal restitution funds, reducing the abandonment period from five years to three years. This directly impacts any organization currently owed restitution from criminal judgments (e. g.

Q

Who authored SB1666?

SB1666 was authored by Texas Senator Judith Zaffirini during the Regular Session.

Q

When was SB1666 signed into law?

SB1666 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 28, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce SB1666?

SB1666 is enforced by Comptroller of Public Accounts, County Court Clerks and Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

Q

How significant are the changes in SB1666?

The regulatory priority for SB1666 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of SB1666?

The cost impact of SB1666 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does SB1666 address?

SB1666 addresses topics including corrections, corrections--parole, probation & pardons, crime victims compensation, criminal justice, texas department of and internet.

Q

What are the key dates for SB1666?

Key dates for SB1666: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 25, 2026