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H 7584Criminal Procedure

Criminal Procedure - Criminal Injuries Compensation

This bill adds a one-dollar surcharge to fines for traffic violations to help fund the Crime Victims’ Compensation program.

Held for study
Population
Affected
45
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 6, 2026Committee House Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the "Criminal Injuries Compensation" law to create a new source of funding for the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund. Currently, individuals convicted of felonies and misdemeanors are required to pay fees into this fund. This bill expands that requirement to include civil or criminal traffic violations. Under the new rule, anyone fined for a traffic offense (excluding parking tickets) must pay an additional surcharge of one dollar ($1.00) per offense. Municipal court clerks are responsible for collecting this money and transferring it to the compensation fund to assist victims of violent crimes.

For younger readers

When people break the law, they often have to pay money called a fine. This bill changes the rules for drivers who break traffic laws, like speeding or running a red light. If a driver gets a ticket and has to pay a fine, they will now have to pay one extra dollar. This extra dollar will go into a special fund that helps take care of people who have been hurt by violent crimes. This rule does not apply to parking tickets, only to tickets given while driving a car.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
DriversTraffic ViolatorsCrime VictimsMunicipal Court ClerksCrime Victims’ Compensation Fund
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
$1 per traffic violation

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Strengthens the social safety net by providing a steady stream of additional revenue to the Crime Victims’ Compensation Fund, ensuring better support and financial aid for victims of violent crime.
  • Imposes a very nominal fee of only one dollar, which minimizes the regressive financial impact on low-income drivers compared to higher punitive fines often seen in the justice system.
  • Promotes a form of community responsibility where minor infractions contribute directly to the welfare of community members who have suffered significant trauma and loss.
  • Expands the system of funding government services through fines and fees, which is structurally regressive and disproportionately extracts wealth from low-income populations and communities of color who are policed more frequently.
  • Creates a perverse incentive for law enforcement to increase traffic stops to generate revenue for the state, potentially leading to more adverse interactions between police and the public.
  • Adds another layer of financial penalty within the legal system, reinforcing a reliance on carceral mechanisms rather than progressive taxation to fund essential social services.
For Conservatives
  • Upholds the rule of law by ensuring that those who violate traffic regulations contribute financially to the restitution of victims of violent crime, reinforcing personal responsibility.
  • Generates revenue for a necessary state program through user fees on offenders rather than raising general taxes on law-abiding citizens.
  • Supports victims of crime and the justice system without creating a new government agency or expanding the size of the bureaucracy.
  • Represents another government "money grab" by adding fees to minor infractions, effectively functioning as a hidden tax on drivers.
  • Increases the administrative burden on local municipal courts, which may result in government inefficiency where the cost of collection competes with the revenue generated.
  • Expands the reach of the state into the daily lives of citizens, punishing them further for minor infractions that may not have caused any actual harm to others.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 7 additions · 1 deletion

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 12-25-28 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-25 entitled "Criminal Injuries Compensation" is hereby amended to read as follows: 12-25-28. Special indemnity account for criminal injuries compensation.

(a) It is provided that the general treasurer establish a violent crimes indemnity account within the general fund for the purpose of paying awards granted pursuant to this chapter. The court shall assess as court costs in addition to those provided by law, against all defendants charged with a felony, misdemeanor, or petty misdemeanor, or traffic violation, whether or not the crime was a crime of violence, and who plead nolo contendere, guilty or who are found guilty of the commission of those crimes as follows:

(1) Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of five (5) or more years imprisonment, one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) or fifteen percent (15%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

(2) Where the offense charged is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of less than five

(5) years imprisonment, ninety dollars ($90.00) or fifteen percent (15%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

(3) Where the offense charged is a misdemeanor, thirty dollars ($30.00) or fifteen percent (15%) of any fine imposed on the defendant by the court, whichever is greater.

(4) Where the offense charged is a civil or criminal traffic violation, one dollar ($1.00) of any fine imposed on the defendant per charged offense, exclusive of fines imposed for violations relating to parking of vehicles. The clerks of courts for each municipality shall collect any fine levied under this subsection and shall transmit the collected surcharges within thirty (30) days to the crime victims’ compensation fund.

(b) These costs shall be assessed whether or not the defendant is sentenced to prison and in no case shall they be waived by the court unless the court finds an inability to pay.

(c) When there are multiple counts or multiple charges to be disposed of simultaneously, the judge shall have the authority to suspend the obligation of the defendant to pay on all counts or charges above two (2).

(d) Up to fifteen percent (15%) of the state funds raised under this section, as well as federal matching funds, shall be available to pay administrative expenses necessary to operate this program. Federal funds for this purpose shall not supplant currently available state funds, as required by federal law.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect one year after passage.