RAISE VICTIM'S FUNERAL REIMBURSEMENT - S.B. 445: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
Senate Bill 445 (as introduced 5-1-01)
Sponsor: Senator William Van Regenmorter
Committee: Judiciary
CONTENT
The bill would amend the crime victim's compensation Act to increase the maximum amount that the Crime Victim Services Commission may award for funeral expenses. Under the Act, an award made for funeral expenses, including burial and grief counseling, may not be less than $200 or more than $2,000 for each victim. Under the bill, the maximum award would be $2,500. The bill would retain a provision that allows an award for funeral expenses to include up to $500 to reimburse expenses for grief counseling for the victim's spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
(Under the Act, the Commission's responsibilities include investigating, processing, and granting requests for compensating crime victims' out-of-pocket expenses, as well as loss of earnings or support. An aggregate award under the Act may not exceed $15,000 per claimant.)
MCL 18.361 - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The Crime Victim Services Commission pays awards to claimants for funeral expenses out of Federal grants and assessment revenue collected from convicted defendants by circuit, district, and juvenile courts. Increasing the maximum amount of awards for funeral expenses would have no impact on State GF/GP expenditures.
- Fiscal Analyst: D. PattersonS0102\s445sa
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.