2023 -- S 0887

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Miller, Valverde, and Kallman

     Date Introduced: March 30, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 12-25-17, 12-25-21.1, 12-25-22 and 12-25-28 of the General Laws

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in Chapter 12-25 entitled "Criminal Injuries Compensation" are hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-25-17. Definitions.

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     As used in this chapter:

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     (1) “Administrator” means the program administrator of this chapter.

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     (2) “Child” means an unmarried person who is under eighteen (18) years of age and

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includes a stepchild or an adopted child.

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     (3) “Court” means the superior court.

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     (4) “Dependent” means a person wholly or partially dependent upon the income of the

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victim at the time of his or her death or would have been so dependent but for the incapacity due

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to the injury from which the death resulted. The term includes a child of the victim born after the

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death of the victim.

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     (5) "Medical forensic examination" means an examination of a sexual assault victim by a

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health care provider, who has specialized education and clinical experience in the collection of

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forensic evidence and treatment of these victims, which includes:

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     (i) Gathering information from the victim for the medical forensic history;

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     (ii) An examination;

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     (iii) Documentation of biological and physical findings, and collection of evidence from

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the patient; and

 

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     (iv) Documentation of findings.

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     (5)(6) “Office” means the office of the general treasurer.

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     (6)(7) “Pecuniary loss” includes:

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     (i) For personal injury:

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     (A) Medical expenses (including psychiatric care) for which the victim is not compensated

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by any other source;

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     (B) Hospital expenses for which the victim is not compensated by any other source;

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     (C) Loss of past earnings for which the victim is not compensated by any other source;

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     (D) Loss of future earnings because of a disability resulting from the personal injury for

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which the victim is not compensated by any other source; and

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     (E) Direct expenses related to the delivery or obtainment of medical or counseling services,

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or participation in criminal justice proceedings.

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     (ii) For death:

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     (A) Funeral and burial expenses for which the victim’s estate is not compensated by any

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other source;

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     (B) Loss of support to the dependents of the victim for which the dependents are not

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compensated by any other source; and

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     (C) Direct expenses related to the participation in funeral services, counseling, or criminal

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justice proceedings.

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     (iii) Any other expenses actually and necessarily incurred as a result of the personal injury

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or death for which the victim or his or her estate is not compensated by any other source, but it does

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not include property damage.

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     (7)(8) “Personal injury” means actual bodily harm, mental or nervous shock, and a

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pregnancy resulting from sexual attack.

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     (8)(9) “Relative” means a spouse, parent, grandparent, stepfather, stepmother, child,

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grandchild, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, and a spouse’s parents.

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     (9)(10) “Resident” means any person who has his or her residence within the state of Rhode

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Island.

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     (10)(11) “Secondary victim” means a child who suffers an emotional injury as a direct

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result of witnessing a homicide or incident of domestic violence.

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     (11)(12) “State” includes the District of Columbia, the fifty (50) states, and the United

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States’ territories and possessions.

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     (12)(13) “Treasurer” means the general treasurer of the state of Rhode Island or his or her

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designee.

 

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     (13)(14) “Victim” means a person who is injured or killed by any act of a person or persons

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that is within the description of any of the offenses specified in § 12-25-20 and which act occurs in

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the state of Rhode Island. “Victim” also means a resident of the state of Rhode Island who is a

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victim of an act of terrorism as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 2331 occurring outside the United States or

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within the United States as referred to in 34 U.S.C. § 20105.

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     (14)(15) “1972 Act” means the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1972, established

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pursuant to former §§ 12-25-1 — 12-25-12.1.

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     (15)(16) “1996 Act” means the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act of 1996, established

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pursuant to §§ 12-25-16 — 12-25-31.

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     12-25-21.1. Emergency fund for victims.

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     (a) The office may award emergency compensation under this chapter for the: (1) Burial

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expenses of a victim who dies as a direct result of a violent crime as defined in this chapter; (2)

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Cost of the crime scene clean up; and (3) Relocation expenses; and (4) expenses associated with

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reasonable modifications to the victim's residence necessary to ensure the victim's safety.

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     (b) The award for emergency compensation shall be awarded at the sole discretion of the

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program administrator. The administrator may promulgate rules and regulations to administer the

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provisions of this section.

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     (c) An award for emergency compensation for burial expenses shall not exceed the sum of

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ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

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     (d) An award for emergency compensation for crime scene clean up shall not exceed two

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thousand dollars ($2,000).

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     (e) An award for emergency compensation for relocation costs shall not exceed five

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thousand dollars ($5,000).

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     (f) An award for expenses associated with reasonable modifications to the victim's

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residence necessary to ensure the victim's safety shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) and

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shall not be awarded in addition to an award for emergency compensation for relocation costs.

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     (f)(g) The award for emergency compensation for burial expenses, crime scene clean up,

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and relocation costs shall be deducted from the final award. In the event the victim is not eligible

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for an award, the victim shall repay the amount of the emergency award to the fund.

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     (g)(h) Any payments made for the emergency compensation shall be deducted from the

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final award. In no event shall the final award exceed the maximum award of twenty-five thousand

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dollars ($25,000).

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     12-25-22. Limitations upon awarding compensation.

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     (a) Actions for compensation under this chapter shall be commenced within three (3) years

 

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after the date of the injury or death, and no compensation shall be awarded for an injury or death

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resulting from a crime that was not reported to the appropriate law enforcement authority within

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fifteen (15) days of its occurrence; provided, that the office shall have the authority to allow a claim

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that was not reported pursuant to this section when a victim of a sexual offense or rape receives a

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medical forensic examination within fifteen (15) days of the crime, when the victim or secondary

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victim was below the age of eighteen (18) years of age, or of unsound mind, or for good cause

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shown.

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     (b) No compensation shall be awarded under this chapter to the victim, or in the case of

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death to dependent relatives or to the legal representative, in a total amount in excess of twenty-

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five thousand dollars ($25,000) plus any attorney fees awarded upon appeal to the treasurer or to

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the superior court pursuant to § 12-25-25.

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     (c) No compensation shall be awarded under this chapter to a secondary victim in a total

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amount in excess of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500).

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     (d) No compensation shall be awarded when the office, in its discretion, determines that

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unjust enrichment to or on behalf of the offender would result. Compensation under this chapter

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shall not be awarded to any victim or dependent relative or legal representative if the award would

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directly or indirectly inure to the benefit of the offender.

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     (e) No interest shall be included in or added to an award of compensation under this

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chapter.

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     (f) When the plaintiff is the victim’s estate, it shall only be awarded compensation for the

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victim’s actual medical, hospital, funeral, and burial expenses for which the victim or his or her

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estate is not compensated by any other source and for the loss of support to the dependents of the

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victim.

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     12-25-28. Special indemnity account for criminal injuries compensation.

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     (a) It is provided that the general treasurer establish a violent crimes indemnity account

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within the general fund for the purpose of paying awards granted pursuant to this chapter. The court

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shall assess as court costs in addition to those provided by law, against all defendants charged with

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a felony, misdemeanor, or petty misdemeanor, or traffic violation, whether or not the crime was a

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crime of violence, and who plead nolo contendere, guilty or who are found guilty of the commission

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of those crimes as follows:

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     (1) Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of five (5) or

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more years imprisonment, one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) or fifteen percent (15%) of any fine

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imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

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     (2) Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of less than five

 

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(5) years imprisonment, ninety dollars ($90.00) or fifteen percent (15%) of any fine imposed on

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the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

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     (3) Where the offense charged is a misdemeanor, thirty dollars ($30.00) or fifteen percent

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(15%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

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     (4) Where the offense charged is a civil or criminal traffic violation, two dollars ($2.00) of

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any fine imposed on the defendant per charged offense, exclusive of fines imposed for violations

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relating to parking of vehicles. The clerks of courts for each municipality shall collect any fine

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levied under this subsection and shall transmit the collected surcharges within thirty (30) days to

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the crime victims' compensation fund.

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     (b) These costs shall be assessed whether or not the defendant is sentenced to prison and

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in no case shall they be waived by the court unless the court finds an inability to pay.

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     (c) When there are multiple counts or multiple charges to be disposed of simultaneously,

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the judge shall have the authority to suspend the obligation of the defendant to pay on all counts or

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charges above two (2).

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     (d) Up to fifteen percent (15%) of the state funds raised under this section, as well as federal

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matching funds, shall be available to pay administrative expenses necessary to operate this

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program. Federal funds for this purpose shall not supplant currently available state funds, as

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required by federal law.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect one year after passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE - CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION

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     This act would fund the state crime victims compensation program through an additional

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two dollar ($2.00) fine on traffic violations, exclusive of violations related to the parking of

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vehicles. The act would also permit victims to use program funds to make reasonable modifications

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to their residence to ensure victim safety and would permit a medical forensic examination to stand

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in the place of a police report for purposes of determining program eligibility.

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     This act would take effect one year after passage.

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