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S 2832Criminal Procedure

Criminal Procedure - Criminal Injuries Compensation

Increases emergency relocation funds for crime victims to $8,000 and authorizes $1,000 for home safety modifications.

Signed into law67 Yea0 Nay8 Not voting
Population
Affected
8
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Finance

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the state's "Criminal Injuries Compensation" law to provide additional financial support to victims of violent crimes. Specifically, it increases the maximum amount a victim can receive for emergency relocation expenses from $5,000 to $8,000. It also creates a new category of emergency compensation that allows victims to receive up to $1,000 for necessary safety modifications to their home, such as changing locks or adding security features. However, a victim cannot receive both the relocation money and the home modification money; they must choose one or the other.

For younger readers

This bill is designed to help people who have been hurt by a violent crime. Sometimes, when a bad crime happens, the person who was hurt needs to move to a new house to feel safe again. This law increases the amount of money the government can give them to help with moving costs. It also says that if they don't want to move, the government can give them a smaller amount of money to make their current house safer, like buying better locks for the doors.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Victims of violent crimeOffice of Criminal Injuries CompensationLandlordsHome contractorsSecurity system installers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Strengthens the social safety net for survivors of violent crime by increasing the financial assistance available for relocation, helping vulnerable individuals escape dangerous environments.
  • Recognizes the rising cost of housing by adjusting the relocation cap from five thousand to eight thousand dollars, ensuring the aid provided is practically useful for low-income residents.
  • Promotes housing stability by offering a new option for home safety modifications, allowing victims to secure their existing homes rather than being forced to uproot their lives if they prefer to stay.
  • Forces victims to make a difficult choice between relocation assistance and home safety modifications, rather than allowing for a comprehensive safety plan that might require both interventions.
  • The one thousand dollar cap for home safety modifications is likely insufficient to cover the full cost of necessary security upgrades, such as reinforced doors, windows, or alarm systems.
  • Maintains the requirement that these emergency funds be deducted from the final compensation award or repaid if the victim is later found ineligible, potentially burdening traumatized individuals with debt.
For Conservatives
  • Supports victims of violent crime, aligning with a law-and-order philosophy that prioritizes the safety and recovery of law-abiding citizens over the rights of criminals.
  • Maintains strict fiscal discipline by setting hard caps on the new and increased benefit amounts, preventing open-ended government spending liabilities.
  • Explicitly mandates that ongoing costs for maintaining or monitoring home safety modifications are the sole responsibility of the victim, preventing long-term dependency on state funds.
  • Increases government spending by raising the relocation assistance cap by sixty percent, placing an additional burden on state resources.
  • Expands the scope of the compensation program to include home improvements, which could potentially lead to fraud or misuse of funds for non-essential renovations.
  • Grants the program administrator "sole discretion" to award funds, which creates a lack of oversight and potential for arbitrary distribution of taxpayer money.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 2 additions · 2 deletions

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 12-25-21.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-25 entitled "Criminal Injuries Compensation" is hereby amended to read as follows: 12-25-21.1. Emergency fund for victims.

(a) The office may award emergency compensation under this chapter for the: (1) Burial expenses of a victim who dies as a direct result of a violent crime as defined in this chapter; (2) Cost of the crime scene clean up; (3) Relocation expenses; and (4) Compensation for modifications to a victim’s residence necessary to ensure safety.

(b) The award for emergency compensation shall be awarded at the sole discretion of the program administrator. The administrator may promulgate rules and regulations to administer the provisions of this section.

(c) An award for emergency compensation for burial expenses shall not exceed the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(d) An award for emergency compensation for crime scene clean up shall not exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000).

(e) An award for emergency compensation for relocation costs shall not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) eight thousand dollars ($8,000).

(f) An award for expenses associated with reasonable modifications to the victim’s residence necessary to ensure victim safety shall not exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) and shall not be awarded in addition to an award for emergency compensation for relocation costs. Further, any ongoing costs or expenses associated with maintaining or monitoring any modification made pursuant to this subsection shall be borne exclusively by the victim.

(g) The award for emergency compensation for burial expenses, crime scene clean up, and relocation costs shall be deducted from the final award. In the event the victim is not eligible for an award, the victim shall repay the amount of the emergency award to the fund.

(h) Any payments made for the emergency compensation shall be deducted from the final award. In no event shall the final award exceed the maximum award of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.