SB 22-183

Senate Bill 22-183, also known as the Crime Victims Services Act, aims to improve support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Colorado. It changes how funds are distributed by renaming certain programs and shifting reimbursement responsibilities from local governments to nongovernmental agencies and federally recognized tribes. The bill establishes new funding sources and advisory boards to better manage grants and services for crime victims, ensuring that more resources go directly to organizations helping these individuals. Signed into law, this act will provide clearer guidelines and increased financial support for programs assisting domestic violence and sexual assault survivors across the state.

Official Summary

Under existing law, the state department of human services (department) reimburses local governments and nongovernmental agencies that operate domestic abuse programs for providing services to victims of domestic violence. The act renames "domestic abuse programs" as "domestic violence programs", repeals the authority to reimburse local governments, and requires the department to reimburse a nongovernmental agency or a federally recognized Indian tribe that operates a domestic violence, sexual assault, or culturally specific program (program) that provides services to victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault (program services). The act repeals the requirement that programs must request information from each client concerning the relationship of the client to the alleged perpetrator of the abuse. The act permits the department to enter into an agreement with a federally recognized state or tribal domestic violence or sexual assault coalition (coalition) for program services and other related services. A coalition that enters into a contract or agreement with the department shall provide training and technical assistance for programs and may participate in systems advocacy, develop and implement policies to improve the response to and prevention of domestic violence or sexual assault, and conduct statewide community outreach and public education related to domestic violence and sexual assault. A coalition may subcontract with a nongovernmental agency or federally recognized Indian tribe that operates a program. The act creates the state domestic violence and sexual assault services fund, transfers $6 million to the fund from the behavioral and mental health cash fund, and requires the department to publish information on its website about the use of program funds and organizations that receive funds. The act creates the Colorado crime victim services fund (victim services fund) and requires the state treasurer to transfer $32 million to the fund from the economic recovery and relief cash fund and $6 million to the fund from the general fund. The division of criminal justice in the department of public safety makes grants from the victim services fund to government agencies and nonprofit organizations that provide services for crime victims. The division is required to publish information on its website about the use of grant funds and organizations that receive grant awards. The act permits the division of criminal justice to grant money from the victims assistance and law enforcement fund for mass tragedy response. The act limits members of the crime victim services advisory board to serving 3 consecutive 3-year terms on the board. The act requires the state treasurer to transfer $3 million to the victims and witnesses assistance and law enforcement fund from the economic recovery and relief cash fund. The state court administrator is required to distribute the money based on need. The act requires the state treasurer to transfer $1 million to the community crime victims grant program cash fund from the general fund. For state fiscal year 2021-22, the general assembly appropriated $1.5 million to the department of public safety for the state victims assistance and law enforcement program and $4.75 million to the department of human services for the domestic abuse program. The act further appropriates any of that money that is not expended by July 1, 2022, to each department for use in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 state fiscal years. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Related Legislation

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