CONFINED CRIME VICTIM; COMP.                                                                    S.B. 845:

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                      REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 845 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Senator Tom Casperson

Committee:  Judiciary

CONTENT

The bill would amend the crime victim's compensation Act to specify that if a crime occurred while the victim was confined in a Federal, State, or local correctional facility, a claim for an award would have to be supported in an affidavit from the prosecutor of that crime. The bill would delete a provision under which an award may not be made if the crime occurred while the victim was in a correctional facility.

Under the Act, except as otherwise provided, the following are eligible for compensation as a result of a crime:

-- The victim or an intervenor of the crime.

-- A surviving spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, or grandchild of a victim of the crime who died as a direct result of the crime.

-- A survivor related to the victim by blood or affinity, a guardian, a personal representative, or a member of the same household as the victim.

-- A health care provider seeking payment for a sexual assault medical forensic examination.

An award may not be made unless an investigation of the claim verifies the following facts:

-- A crime was committed.

-- The crime directly resulted in personal physical injury to, or death of, the victim.

-- Police records show that the crime was reported promptly to the proper authorities.

The investigation also must verify that the crime did not occur while the victim was confined in a Federal, State, or local correctional facility. Under the bill, instead, if the crime occurred while the victim was confined in a Federal, State, or local correctional facility, the claim would have to be supported in an affidavit from the prosecutor of that crime.

MCL 18.360                                                                     Legislative Analyst:  Jeff Mann

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  4-18-18                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  John Maxwell

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.