The Legislative Package

MARIAH ACT 

(Mandating Accountability & Responsibility In Allegations of Harm) 

A BILL 

To be entitled 

AN ACT 

relating to accountability, transparency, due process safeguards, and balanced protection in allegations of domestic violence and other serious interpersonal harm. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the “MARIAH Act.”  (Mandating Accountability & Responsibility In Allegations of Harm). 

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

(a) The Legislature finds that: 

1. The State of Texas has a compelling interest in protecting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and abuse, while also preserving the constitutional rights and reputational protections of those accused. 

2. False and malicious allegations of harm undermine the credibility of genuine victims, erode public confidence in the justice system, and cause severe personal and professional harm to the falsely accused. 

3. Institutions—law enforcement agencies, advocacy organizations, and the courts—bear a shared responsibility to ensure balanced, evidence-based processes in handling allegations of harm. 

4. Transparency in prior allegations, oversight of advocacy involvement, and fair due process are essential to achieving justice for both victims and accused individuals. 

(b) The purpose of this Act is to: 

• Mandate institutional accountability and data transparency; 

• Deter and penalize knowingly false or malicious allegations of serious offenses; 

• Improve institutional transparency through secure TCIC integration; 

• Protect good-faith reporters; 

• Provide balanced procedural safeguards for victims and accused persons; 

• Encourage early intervention by trained advocates to prevent coercion, misinformation, or system misuse; and 

• Establish oversight and fiscal accountability mechanisms. 

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

1. “Allegation of harm” means any report made to law enforcement, protective services, or a court asserting domestic violence, assault, harassment, or abuse. 

2. “False or malicious allegation” means a knowingly fabricated or materially misleading report intended to cause harm, distress, or legal jeopardy to another. 

3. Reckless Disregard means making a statement without a reasonable basis, without attempting to verify its truth, or while consciously ignoring facts indicating falsity. 

4. “Advocate” means a certified domestic violence or victims’ rights professional approved by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) or Texas Victim Services Division. 

5. “Institution” refers to any public or private entity responsible for receiving, processing, or investigating allegations of harm, including law enforcement, courts, and shelters. 

6. “TCIC” means the Texas Crime Information Center operated by the Department of Public Safety under Chapter 411, Government Code. 

7. “Database of Allegations” means the digital record system established under Section 5 of this Act. 

8. “Covered Offenses” include knowingly false allegations of: 

1. Domestic violence or intimate partner violence; 

2. Rape; 

3. Sexual assault; 

4. Child abuse or elder abuse, whether physical, emotional, or neglect-related; 

5. Child sexual exploitation or molestation; 

6. Drug use, possession, or trafficking where the allegation creates a foreseeable risk of family separation, loss of custody, or criminal prosecution; and 

7. Any felony-level violent crime where reputational or liberty harm is a foreseeable consequence. 

SECTION 4. LAW ENFORCEMENT RECORD INTEGRATION THROUGH TCIC. 

(a) The Department of Public Safety shall utilize and enhance TCIC to record domestic violence–related police reports, protective order filings, and related case dispositions. 

(b) Entries must clearly distinguish: 

• Pending allegations 

• Substantiated findings 

• Dismissed or unsubstantiated claims 

• Judicial determinations of knowingly false reports 

(c) Access shall be limited to authorized criminal justice personnel. 

(d) Public access shall remain restricted in accordance with Chapter 411, Government Code, and Chapter 261, Family Code. DPS may publish anonymized aggregate statistics. 

(e) DPS shall conduct annual audits and provide a summary report to the Legislature. 

SECTION 5. OFFENSES AND PENALTIES. 

(a) Creation of Offense. 
A person commits an offense if they knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth make a false allegation of a Covered Offense to: 

1. A peace officer or law enforcement agency; 

2. A court of law; 

3. A social services or child protective agency; 

4. An employer, school, or professional licensing board; 

5. Family members of the accused; or 

6. Public statements, including digital or social media posts, are prosecutable only if made with actual malice and resulting in reasonably foreseeable initiation of official proceedings or substantial economic harm. 

(b) Penalty Classification. 
An offense under this section shall be classified as a felony of the third degree, except that: 

1. If the false allegation directly contributes to suicide, attempted suicide with permanent harm, or wrongful imprisonment, the offense is a felony of the second degree; 

2. If the false allegation results in death or permanent disability of the accused, it is a felony of the first degree; 

3. Minor offenses causing no tangible harm shall constitute a Class A misdemeanor punishable under Section 12.21, Penal Code. 

(c) Affirmative Defense: 
It is an affirmative defense that the report was made in good faith based on facts reasonably believed to be true at the time. 

(d) Prosecution requires written approval from the elected District or County Attorney. 

SECTION 6. DUE PROCESS SAFEGUARDS. 

(a) No TCIC entry under this Act creates a presumption of guilt. 

(b) No allegation may be labeled “malicious” absent a written judicial finding after notice and hearing. 

(c) Individuals may request administrative review and correction of inaccurate entries. 

(d) Dismissals, no-bills, and acquittals must be clearly reflected in TCIC. 

SECTION 7. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVOCATE INTERCESSION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS. 

(a) Post-Arrest Procedure: 

1. Following arrest in a domestic violence case, a certified advocate approved by the Texas Victim Services Division may be assigned to: 

• Assess immediate safety needs 

• Provide rights information 

• Identify coercive circumstances 

2. The advocate shall independently interview both the alleged victim and the accused within 72 hours of arrest, where practicable, to assess safety, coercion, and accuracy of claims. 

3. The advocate shall document observations and submit a confidential report to the magistrate and the district attorney’s office. 

(b) Advocate Duties: 

• Ensure both parties understand their rights and the available legal and social services; 

• Detect possible coercion, retaliation, or fabricated claims; 

• Recommend referral for counseling, mediation, or protective measures as appropriate. 

• Advocates shall operate under trauma-informed and impartial standards. 

(c) Institutional Oversight: 
The Texas Victim Services Division shall certify and monitor advocates under this section to ensure impartiality and compliance with trauma-informed and due process–aligned practices. 

(c) Refusal by a party to meet with an advocate shall not be deemed evidence of guilt or innocence. 

SECTION 8. CIVIL REMEDIES AND RESTITUTION. 

(a) A person proven to be the victim of a false or malicious allegation may bring a civil action for damages without proving direct financial loss. 
(b) Recoverable damages shall include: 

1. Attorney’s fees and court costs; 

2. Lost wages or employment opportunities; 

3. Reputational and psychological harm; and 

4. Restitution for property damage caused by resulting violence or vandalism. 

SECTION 9. SAFEGUARDS FOR GOOD-FAITH REPORTING. 

(a) This Act does not apply to individuals who, in good faith, report conduct they believe to be true, even if unsubstantiated. 
(b) Prosecution under this Act requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the allegation was knowingly false or made with reckless disregard for the truth. 
(c) Prosecutors must obtain written approval from the District or County Attorney prior to filing charges under this section. 

SECTION 10. PENALTIES FOR FALSE OR MALICIOUS ALLEGATIONS. 

(a) A person who knowingly files a false or malicious allegation of harm shall be subject to: 

1. A Class A misdemeanor on the first offense; 

2. A state jail felony on the second or subsequent offense; 

3. Mandatory restitution to the falsely accused for legal fees, lost wages, and reputational damages proven in court. 

(b) False or malicious allegations shall include those made with reckless disregard for truth or motivated by personal gain, custody disputes, or retaliation. 

SECTION 11. INSTITUTIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND REPORTING. 

(a) Each law enforcement agency shall file annual reports to the Texas Attorney General’s Office detailing: 

1. The number of allegations of harm received; 

2. The number found to be substantiated, unsubstantiated, or maliciously false; 

3. Steps taken to prevent misuse of the system. 

(b) The Attorney General shall publish an annual public summary report, anonymized to protect individual identities. 

SECTION 12. OVERSIGHT, TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION. 

(a) Law enforcement, prosecutors, and child welfare agencies shall receive training on distinguishing between credible and malicious reports. 
(b) A MARIAH Oversight Committee shall be created under Chapter 325, Government Code, composed of: 

1. Two members of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee; 

2. Two members of the House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety; 

3. One representative each from DPS, TVSD, and the Office of the Attorney General; and 

4. Two public members — one representing victims’ advocacy and one representing civil liberties. 

(c) The committee shall issue annual reports with policy and budgetary recommendations.  

(d) The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) shall update training curricula to include modules on: 

• Identifying false or malicious allegations; 

• Trauma-informed interviewing for both alleged victims and accused individuals; 

• Proper advocate collaboration protocols. 

(e) The Act shall take effect September 1 of the year following enactment. 

 
SECTION 13. FISCAL NOTE & IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 

(a) Fiscal Impact. 

Summary: 

The MARIAH Act is expected to have a moderate but reduced fiscal impact compared to initial projections, as it utilizes enhancements to the existing Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) system administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS), rather than establishing a new standalone database. 

Primary cost areas include: 

• TCIC modification and data-field enhancement within DPS; 

• Certification and training of Domestic Violence Advocates through the Texas Victim Services Division (TVSD); 

• Compliance oversight, auditing, and reporting by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). 

Costs associated with due process review procedures and data correction mechanisms are included within projected administrative expansion estimates and are not expected to exceed $150,000 annually. 

Estimated Costs: 

(A) Year 1–2 Implementation Costs: 

1. TCIC system modification, data flag development, integration with court reporting systems, and testing: 
   $1.4 million 

2. Advocate certification and trauma-informed training program development (TVSD contracts and curriculum design): 
   $1.2 million 

3. Administrative staff expansion and compliance monitoring (DPS & OAG): 
   $650,000 

(B) Ongoing Annual Costs: 

1. TCIC system maintenance, cybersecurity monitoring, and audit compliance: 
   $375,000 per year 

2. Advocate accreditation renewals and continuing education: 
   $350,000 per year 

3. Reporting, legislative oversight coordination, and annual audit review: 
   $225,000 per year 

Revenue Offset: 

The Act authorizes creation of the “MARIAH Fund,” administered by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, funded through: 

• A $25 surcharge on court filings in domestic violence or protective order proceedings; 

• Court-ordered restitution recovered in cases involving judicial findings of knowingly false or malicious allegations; 

• Federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) matching funds, where eligible; 

• Reallocation of existing DPS technology modernization appropriations where consistent with legislative intent. 

Projected offset: 
60–75% of total operating costs within three fiscal years. 

(b) Implementation Timeline. 

Phase	Agency/Body	Description	Deadline
I	Department of Public Safety (DPS)	Develop and deploy TCIC data-field enhancements and reporting flags; pilot in 5 counties.	Within 6 months of enactment
II	Texas Victim Services Division (TVSD)	Establish advocate certification standards and trauma-informed interview protocols.	Within 9 months
III	Office of the Attorney General (OAG)	Establish audit procedures, reporting framework, and compliance guidelines.	Within 12 months
IV	Statewide Deployment	Full TCIC integration, advocate implementation, and annual review process operational statewide.	Within 18 months

(c) Oversight & Accountability. 

Joint MARIAH Oversight Committee 

A MARIAH Oversight Committee shall be established consisting of: 

• 2 members of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee; 

• 2 members of the House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety; 

• 1 representative each from DPS, TVSD, and OAG; and 

• 2 public members: 

• one representing victims’ rights advocacy, 

• one representing civil liberties and due process protections. 

Duties of the Committee: 

• Conduct annual public hearings on implementation and impact; 

• Review TCIC audit findings related to domestic violence allegation entries; 

• Receive quarterly compliance reports from DPS and TVSD; 

• Recommend statutory amendments to preserve balance, accuracy, and constitutional safeguards. 

(d) Budget Impact Statement. 

1. (a) The legislature finds that implementation of this Act utilizing the Texas Crime Information Center (TCIC) infrastructure minimizes the need for new system development costs. 

2. (b) Administrative expenses associated with data review, audit procedures, and correction mechanisms are expected to remain within existing Department of Public Safety modernization allocations and are not anticipated to exceed $150,000 annually. 

3. (c) The use of existing criminal justice information systems significantly reduces projected expenditures compared to development of a new standalone database. 

SECTION 14. SEVERABILITY. 

If any section of this Act is held invalid, the remaining sections shall continue in effect. 

Sunset Review: 

The MARIAH Act shall be subject to Sunset Review under Chapter 325, Government Code, six years after its effective date to evaluate: 

• Fiscal sustainability; 

• Data accuracy and due process protections; 

• Impact on reporting behavior and victim safety; 

• Institutional fairness and public trust outcomes. 

SECTION 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

This Act takes effect September 1, 2027. 

✅ Filed for consideration before the 90th Texas Legislature, Regular Session. 
Sponsor: ___________________________ 
Co-author(s): ________________________