Brief ⁽¹⁾

SB 505 amends the Property Crime Restitution and Compensation Act to raise the amount of compensation payments that may be made for victims of felony crimes to $500 (currently $250) and for misdemeanors and traffic offenses to $250 (currently $150). The bill also deletes a provision of current law prohibiting payments to any corporation, partnership, or other business or government entity.

The Senate Committee amended the bill to delete the prohibition against paying moneys to corporations and business entities and struck the original amendment, including one to the county home rule statute, since the bill now applies to all counties not just those of less than 10,000 population.

Background

The bill was supported by the Lincoln County Attorney and representatives of the Lincoln County Property Crime Compensation Board. Proponents said moneys could be used to help local business and government entities that have suffered property crime losses such as offsetting a portion of an insurance deductible. The Property Crime Restitution and Compensation Act authorizes counties to establish local crime victims' compensation boards.

The bill has no fiscal impact on the state.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html