Bill > HF1295

This bill amends Minnesota law to expand the definition of "victim assistance programs" that can receive portions of certain criminal fine proceeds to explicitly include children's advocacy centers. Specifically, the bill modifies an existing statute that requires courts to collect fines for specific types of criminal convictions (such as assault, criminal sexual conduct, and domestic abuse) and distribute 70% of those fines to local victim assistance programs. The bill updates the definition of victim assistance programs to add children's advocacy centers, which are defined in another section of Minnesota statutes (260E.02, subdivision 5). It also updates some terminology, replacing "battered women shelters" with "domestic abuse victim shelters" for more inclusive language. The change means that children's advocacy centers, which provide support and services for child victims of abuse, will now be eligible to receive a portion of these court-imposed fines, potentially providing additional funding for their critical work in supporting and protecting child victims.

Justice

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1295&ssn=0&y=2025