Federal COVID Funding For Victim's Services

The federal government enacted the "American Rescue Plan Act of 2021" (federal act) to provide support to state, local, and tribal governments in responding to the impact of the COVID-19 public health emergency and to assist them in their efforts to contain the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency on their communities, residents, and businesses.

As part of the federal act, the state will receive $3,828,761,790 from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund to be used for specific purposes identified in the federal act. This act allocates a total of $15 million to be appropriated for victim's services programs and purposes related to populations that have been disproportionately negatively affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency, including those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and violence generally. The money will be appropriated from the economic recovery and relief cash fund using money from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund. All money appropriated through this act must conform with the eligible uses set forth in the federal act.

This act appropriates money to the following entities:

• The forensic nurse examiner telehealth program;
• The state and local victims and witnesses assistance and law enforcement funds;
• The state crime victims compensation program;
• The address confidentiality program fund; and
• The Colorado domestic abuse program fund for the funding of domestic violence programs.

For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates from the economic recovery and relief cash fund and of money the state receives from the federal coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund:

• $3,000,000 to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justice. for the forensic nurse examiners telehealth program;
• $1,500,000 to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justice for the state victim compensation program;
• $3,000,000 to the victims and witnesses assistance and law enforcement fund. The judicial department is responsible for the accounting related to this appropriation;
• $1,500,000 to the victims assistance and law enforcement fund. The department of public safety is responsible for the accounting related to this appropriation.
• $500,000 to the address confidentiality program fund. The department of personnel is responsible for the accounting related to this appropriation.
• $4,750,000 to the Colorado domestic abuse program fund. The department of human services is responsible for the accounting related to this appropriation.
• $750,000 to the judicial department for use by courts administration for family violence justice grants.

The act also appropriates, from reappropriated funds in the victims assistance and law enforcement fund, $1,500,000 to the department of public safety for use by the division of criminal justice for the state victims assistance and law enforcement program. The act also appropriates, from reappropriated funds in the Colorado domestic abuse program fund, $4,750,000 to the department of human services for use by the office of self sufficiency for the domestic abuse program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)