Georgia Senate - 1995/1996 Sessions

SB 609 - Crime Victims - additional penal- ties for assistance funding

Page Numbers - 1/ 2

Code Sections - 15-21-132

1. Hill  4th              2. Kemp  3rd               3. Thomas  10th


Senate Comm: Judy       /         House Comm: App        /                                          
Senate Vote: Yeas 50    Nays 0                                                                      
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
              Senate          Action          House                                                 
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
             1/23/96   Read 1st time          2/7/96                                                
             2/2/96    Favorably Reported     3/13/96                                               
                       Committee Amend/Sub    Sub                                                   
             2/5/96    Read 2nd Time          2/8/96                                                
             2/6/96    Read 3rd Time                                                                
             2/6/96    Passed/Adopted                                                               
           ---------------------------------------------                                            
                                                                                                    
Code Sections amended: 15-21-131, 15-21-132                                                         


SB 609                                            LC 21 4028S


                ________________________ offers the following
      substitute to SB 609:


                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Article 8 of Chapter 21 of Title 15 of the Official
  1- 2  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to funding for
  1- 3  assistance programs for crime victims, so as to provide that
  1- 4  no more than 15 percent of moneys paid to a district
  1- 5  attorney pursuant to such article shall be used for salaries
  1- 6  and general administrative expenses; to change provisions
  1- 7  relating to eligible victim assistance programs; to provide
  1- 8  for related matters; to provide for an effective date and
  1- 9  for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
  1-10  purposes.

  1-11       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

                         SECTION 1.

  1-12  Article 8 of Chapter 21 of Title 15 of the Official Code of
  1-13  Georgia Annotated, relating to funding for assistance
  1-14  programs for crime victims, is amended by striking Code
  1-15  Section 15-21-132, relating to collection of victim
  1-16  assistance funds, and inserting in lieu thereof the
  1-17  following:

  1-18    "15-21-132. (Index)

  1-19    (a) The sums provided for in Code Section 15-21-131 shall
  1-20    be assessed and collected by the court officer charged
  1-21    with the duty of collecting moneys arising from fines and
  1-22    shall be paid over on a monthly basis as follows:

  1-23      (1) If the county where the fine was imposed operates or
  1-24      participates in a victim assistance program approved by
  1-25      the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, then the
  1-26      moneys shall be paid over to that victim assistance
  1-27      program; or

  1-28      (2) If the county where the fine was imposed does not
  1-29      operate or participate in a victim assistance program
  1-30      approved by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council,
  1-31      then the moneys shall be paid over to the district
  1-32      attorney of the judicial circuit in which the county is



                                 -1- (Index)

                                                 LC 21 4028S

  2- 1      located for the purpose of defraying the costs of victim
  2- 2      assistance activities carried out by the district
  2- 3      attorney's office; provided, however, that the district
  2- 4      attorney shall not use more than 15 percent of such
  2- 5      moneys so paid for salaries and general administrative
  2- 6      expenses.  Such funds shall be paid over in the same
  2- 7      manner as other county funds paid for operations of the
  2- 8      district attorney's office and shall be in addition to
  2- 9      rather than in lieu of any other such funds.

  2-10    (b) The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council shall
  2-11    promulgate rules governing the approval of victim
  2-12    assistance programs.  The rules shall provide for the
  2-13    approval of programs which are designed to provide
  2-14    substantial assistance to victims of crime in
  2-15    understanding and dealing with the crimes committed
  2-16    against them and understanding and dealing with the
  2-17    criminal justice system as it relates to the crimes
  2-18    committed against them. Without limiting the generality of
N        the foregoing, such rules shall specifically provide for
  2-20    the approval of programs which include assistance to
  2-21    victims of family violence, such as shelters for battered
  2-22    individuals. It is the intention of the General Assembly
  2-23    that approval shall be liberally granted so as to
  2-24    encourage local innovations in the development of victim
  2-25    assistance programs."

                         SECTION 2.

  2-26  This Act shall become effective July 1, 1996, and shall
  2-27  apply with respect to offenses committed on or after that
  2-28  effective date. The provisions of this Act shall not apply
  2-29  to or affect offenses committed prior to that effective
  2-30  date.

                         SECTION 3.

  2-31  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  2-32  repealed.












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