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House expands victims‑assistance eligibility to include children's advocacy centers
Summary
House File 1295 amends victims‑assistance language to add children’s advocacy centers to the list of eligible programs to receive portions of court‑imposed fines; sponsors said the centers serve about 3,000 children per year statewide.
The Minnesota House on Wednesday passed House File 1295, a bipartisan bill that adds children's advocacy centers to the list of organizations eligible to receive portions of court‑imposed fines intended to support victims' services.
Representative Johnson Peete, the bill author, said the measure removes outdated wording (“battered women”) and replaces it with “domestic abuse victim.” He added that the bill “also add[s] children's advocacy centers to the list of organizations that are considered victims assistance programs, making them eligible to receive a portion of the court imposed fines.”
Johnson Peete told members there are 15 child‑advocacy centers in Minnesota serving about 3,000 children a year; those centers provide medical evaluations, trauma‑focused mental health services and forensic interviews that assist child‑maltreatment investigations.
Representative Novotny and others described the bill as a way to direct fines imposed on perpetrators back to services that help victims and to support investigations and prosecutions.
The clerk closed the roll after debate; the record shows “132 yays and 0 nays,” and the bill passed with its title agreed to.
Votes at a glance: House File 1295 — Passed 132‑0.
Sponsors described the change as not creating a new funding stream but making existing fine revenues eligible to be directed to children's advocacy centers for direct services.
