SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6763

As Passed Senate, February 14, 2002

Title:  An act relating to a task force on funding for community‑based services to victims of crime.

Brief Description:  Creating a task force on services for crime victims.

Sponsors:  Senators Costa, Hargrove, Long, Carlson, Winsley and Kohl‑Welles.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Human Services & Corrections:   2/6/02 [DP].

Passed Senate:  2/14/02, 48-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES & CORRECTIONS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Hargrove, Chair; Costa, Vice Chair; Carlson, Franklin, Hewitt, Kastama, Kohl‑Welles, Long and Stevens.

Staff:  Edith Rice (786‑7444)

Background:  Services available to crime victims vary widely between communities and often by the types of crime committed.   

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Office of Community Development (OCD) must staff a newly created Washington State task force on funding for community-based services to victims of crime.  The Director of OCD serves as chair and selects as many as 15 additional task force members.  The Secretary of the Department of Social and Health Services and the Director of the Department of Labor and Industries also serve as members.  The task force must measure and evaluate how the state funds community-based organizations providing services to underserved victim populations.  It must also identify related federal, state and local programs, make recommendations regarding assistance and funding, and identify statutory and administrative barriers to improving services to crime victims.

The task force reports its findings to the Governor and the Legislature by November 2002.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Many crime victims could benefit if there was a way to look at how crime victim benefits are funded, what barriers there are and what resources are available.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Jenny Wieland, Seth Dawson, Common Ground for Children & Families; Bev Emery, Office of Crime Victims Advocacy; Joan Guenther, Washington Coalition of Crime Victim Advocates.

House Amendment(s):  Task force activities shall also include identifying federal and private funds, including those from foundations and other nonprofits that may be available for community-based crime victim programs.