H.B. No. 4918 aims to enhance the rights of victims, their guardians, and close relatives of deceased victims in cases involving family violence, sexual offenses, assaultive offenses, stalking, or violations of protective orders. The bill introduces a new definition of "family violence" and expands the definition of "victim" to include individuals affected by family violence and stalking. It ensures that victims are informed of their rights and legal processes, including notifications about court proceedings, evidence status, and opportunities to provide input during sentencing and parole. Additionally, the bill establishes specific rights for victims of certain family violence offenses and stalking, such as receiving information about evidence collected during investigations and conferring with the state's attorney regarding the offense's disposition.

Furthermore, the bill allows victims, their guardians, or close relatives of deceased victims to designate a person or entity to receive notices related to their case, with the stipulation that the designated individual cannot be the person charged with the offense. It also clarifies the definition of "correctional facility" in Article 56A.501 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and removes previous definitions of "correctional" and "family violence." The changes will apply only to offenses committed on or after the effective date of September 1, 2025, with prior offenses governed by the law in effect at the time they were committed.