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H 7547Criminal Procedure

Criminal Procedure - Criminal Injuries Compensation

This bill adds stalking to the list of crimes eligible for victim compensation, specifically for relocation and home safety costs.

Signed into law73 Yea0 Nay2 Not voting
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 6, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the "Criminal Injuries Compensation" chapter of the General Laws. It updates the list of offenses eligible for compensation by replacing the archaic language regarding "crimes against nature" with the crime of stalking. It also removes "larceny from that person" from the robbery category. Additionally, the bill specifies that victims of stalking are eligible specifically for emergency compensation regarding relocation expenses or reasonable residence modifications. Stalking victims are not eligible for other types of compensation under this chapter unless they are also victims of another eligible offense.

For younger readers

There is a special program that gives money to help people who get hurt by criminals. This bill changes the list of crimes that qualify for this help. It takes out some old words that aren't used anymore and adds a rule for people who are being "stalked." Stalking is when someone follows or watches another person in a scary way. If someone is being stalked, this money can now help them pay to move to a new house or make their current house safer so the bad person cannot get in.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Stalking victimsCrime victimsVictim services administratorsLaw enforcementGeneral public
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Updates archaic and historically discriminatory language regarding "crimes against nature," aligning state law with modern values and removing homophobic terminology from the books.
  • Expands the social safety net to include victims of stalking, acknowledging the serious threat this crime poses to the safety and well-being of individuals.
  • Provides tangible financial support for relocation and housing modifications, directly addressing the safety needs of vulnerable victims who might otherwise be trapped in dangerous situations.
  • Severely limits compensation for stalking victims to only relocation or housing modifications, denying them support for mental health counseling or other medical needs unless another crime occurred.
  • Removes "larceny from that person" from the list of eligible offenses, potentially denying support to lower-income victims of theft who may still suffer trauma or financial hardship.
  • Does not appear to appropriate additional funds to the violent crimes indemnity account, potentially stretching existing resources thinner by adding a new category of claimants.
For Conservatives
  • Strictly limits the financial scope of compensation for stalking victims to housing and relocation, preventing an unchecked expansion of government spending on broader medical or psychological claims.
  • Focuses taxpayer-managed funds on tangible, verifiable safety measures like home security and relocation, rather than open-ended therapeutic costs.
  • Modernizes the statute to focus on clear, current criminal threats like stalking rather than enforcing obsolete and unenforceable statutes regarding "crimes against nature."
  • Expands the list of crimes eligible for state compensation, potentially increasing government spending and the burden on the violent crimes indemnity account.
  • Removes the "crime against nature" language, which some traditionalists may view as an unnecessary concession to changing social norms regarding morality in law.
  • Creates a new avenue for individuals to claim government funds based on stalking allegations, which could potentially be abused without strict oversight and verification.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 8 additions · 4 deletions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 12-25-20 and 12-25-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-25 entitled "Criminal Injuries Compensation" are hereby amended to read as follows: 12-25-20. Offenses to which chapter applies. The office may award compensation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for personal injury or death which resulted from offenses in the following categories:

(1) Assault with intent to commit murder, robbery, or rape;

(2) Assault with a dangerous weapon;

(3) Assault and battery;

(4) Mayhem;

(5) Indecent assault and battery on a child under thirteen (13) years of age;

(6) Arson or statutory burning;

(7) Kidnapping;

(8) Robbery or larceny from that person;

(9) Murder;

(10) Manslaughter;

(11) First or second degree sexual assault;

(12) Child molestation, first or second degree;

(13) The abominable and detestable crime against nature or assault with intent to commit the abominable and detestable crime against nature Stalking pursuant to § 11-59-2;

(14) Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs;

(15) Refusal by a driver to submit to a chemical test for alcohol or drugs in the immediate aftermath of a collision;

(16) Driving so as to endanger, resulting in death, pursuant to § 31-27-1;

(17) Driving so as to endanger, resulting in personal injury, pursuant to § 31-27-1.1;

(18) Any other crime excluding motor vehicle offenses other than those enumerated in this section which results in personal injury or death; and

(19) Failure to stop by a driver in circumstances which result in the death of any person, pursuant to § 31-26-1. 12-25-21. Nature of compensation.

(a) The office may award compensation under this chapter for:

(1) Expenses actually and reasonably incurred as a result of the personal injury or death of the victim;

(2) Pecuniary loss to the dependents of the deceased victim;

(3) Any other pecuniary loss resulting from the personal injury or death of the victim, the amount of which the office finds upon the evidence to be reasonable and necessary;

(4) The administrator may issue a supplemental award for compensation for additional medical expenses, including psychiatric care and mental health counseling, provided that the victim provides proper documentation that the additional medical expenses have been actually and reasonably incurred as a direct result of the personal injury. The administrator shall issue a supplemental award as long as the total award does not exceed the maximum award allowable under this chapter;

(5) The administrator may issue an award for expenses related to psychiatric care and mental health counseling for a parent, spouse, sibling or child of a victim who dies as a direct result of a violent crime as defined in this chapter, provided that the parent, spouse, sibling or child provide proper documentation that the psychiatric care and mental health counseling have been actually and reasonably incurred as a direct result of the death of the victim; and

(6) The administrator may issue an award for expenses related to psychiatric care and mental health counseling for a secondary victim, provided that the secondary victim provides proper documentation that the psychiatric care and mental health counseling have been actually and reasonably incurred as a direct result of witnessing the homicide of a victim or the domestic violence incident against a victim. An award issued to a secondary victim for psychiatric care and mental health counseling shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) and shall not be paid upon a secondary victim reaching the age of eighteen (18); and

(7) Where an individual has been the victim of stalking, the administrator may only award emergency compensation for relocation or for reasonable modifications to a victim’s residence under § 12-25-21.1. Victims of stalking shall not be entitled to compensation for any other expense unless they were the victim of another compensable offense under § 12-25-20.

(b) In determining the amount of the judgment or order approving a settlement, the office shall take into consideration the rates and amounts payable for injuries and death under other statutes of this state and of the United States, and the amount of revenue in the violent crimes indemnity account and the number and nature of claims pending against it. The office shall make every effort to ensure that compensation awards are paid within six (6) months of the date of application.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.