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1998 SESSION

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HB 571 Compensation for Victims of Crime Act.

Introduced by: R. Creigh Deeds | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY:

Compensation for Victims of Crime Act. Broadens the list of compensable crimes for victims who suffer emotional injuries to include all violent felonies as defined and used by the Criminal Sentencing Commission; expressly includes persons injured or killed as a result of foreign terrorism so they are eligible for compensation; increases from 180 days to one year, from the occurrence of the crime or death of the victim, the amount of time that a victim of crime or someone on his behalf has to file a claim; increases the amount of time a victim of crime has to perfect a claim from 90 to 180 days after written notice of defect; increases the statutory cap for allowable funeral expenses from $2000 to $3500; and adds reasonable and necessary moving expenses, not to exceed $500, to the list of compensable services that an award may include. The bill also creates a rebuttable presumption that the claimant did not contribute to and was not responsible for the infliction of his injury. The position of crime victims' ombudsman is established to facilitate the review and resolution of claims and assure that crime victims' rights are safeguarded.

The bill is recommended by the Crime Commission.


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