Committee recommends $5 million one-time aid to victim services as federal VOCA funds remain short

The Joint Appropriations Committee recommended passage of House Bill 12-21, a one-time general-fund appropriation of $5,000,000 to assist domestic-violence, sexual-assault and victim-service providers across South Dakota. The committee’s recommendation passed 15–3 and will advance to the full Legislature.

Representative Taylor Rayfelt, the bill’s sponsor, said the appropriation is a temporary measure to address “a band aid” funding gap as federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) awards decline and utilization of services has increased. “I am committed to discussing this with the governor’s office, with our congressional delegation,” Rayfelt said, adding that the bill is not intended as a long-term fix.

Multiple service providers and advocates described program closures, waiting lists and staffing losses tied to federal funding declines. Diana Miller, a registered lobbyist for the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, provided a packet showing a multi-year drop in VOCA allocations and agency requests; she said one small agency in Vermillion was closing because federal grants and prior state backfill had been exhausted. Jennifer Staley of Children’s Home Society said shelters and child advocacy centers face sustained demand: “If we don’t do something with 1 time money this year, we’re gonna hear about more shelters closing,” she told the committee.

Brandy Meissner of the Bureau of Finance and Management urged opposition, saying VOCA funding had been volatile and that prior one-time backfills had been explicitly described as nonrecurring. Meissner summarized past federal grant patterns and the state’s prior interventions, and warned the panel that repeated one-time appropriations do not resolve structural decreases in federal funding. “By continuing to appropriate 1 time general funds, we’re only kicking the can down the road,” she said.

Committee members acknowledged those concerns but concluded providers currently face immediate gaps that risk service loss. Senator Vilhauer moved the do-pass recommendation; Representative Muckey seconded. The roll call recorded 15 yeas and 3 nays; committee staff will forward the bill to the floor for further consideration.

The committee heard details on how federal funds are administered and the types of programs affected. Testimony and handouts enumerated multiple funding streams and restrictions, including VOCA, FVPSA, STOP, and other federal grant categories, and described a roughly 61% cut in VOCA to the state over four years as presented by advocates. Witnesses said federal VOCA reimbursements have been paused, and that prior state appropriations were used to bridge the resulting cash-flow gap.

Sponsor Rayfelt and other advocates said they will continue to pursue a long-term funding solution with the governor’s office and federal partners while the one-time appropriation is intended to keep shelters and crisis services operating.