HB 3596

Abstract

Amends the Crimes Victim Compensation Act. Includes additional expenses and costs in the definition of "pecuniary loss". Removes language providing that: no compensation may be granted while the applicant or victim is held in a correctional institution; and a victim who has been convicted of a felony may apply for assistance at any time but no award of compensation may be considered until the applicant meets certain requirements. Requires the Attorney General to: provide an applicant with written notification of a drafted award determination; present the drafted award determination to the Court of Claims within 90 days of the application being submitted; make all applications and forms available electronically; translate all paper and electronic forms and applications into the 5 most common non-English languages in the State; maintain an online application system; and maintain a case-tracking system to track the status of an application. Allows a victim or applicant to obtain a law enforcement report and provide it to the Attorney General under certain circumstances. Removes time limit and law enforcement notification requirements for submitting an application for compensation. Provides that a victim of a crime who has presented oneself to a hospital for medical care or sexual assault evidence collection is not required to reveal the cause of the injuries or health needs. Provides that a victim of crime is not required to present oneself to a hospital for medical care or sexual assault evidence collection within a specified period of time. Provides that when submitting an application for compensation, the victim or applicant must provide to the Attorney General a sworn statement of the victim or applicant that attests to the victim's or applicant's experience of a crime of violence. Provides that cooperation with law enforcement is not required for a victim of certain offenses to submit an application. Provides that it is presumed that a crime victim or applicant did not provoke, incite, assist, attempt, or commit the criminal act that led to the victim's injury or death. Requires the Attorney General to create a process with forms and applications for applying for emergency awards, create a process for determining emergency awards within 48 hours of the filing of the application, and publicize the process on the Attorney General's website.