Minnesota legislators consider new funding to stabilize funding for victims of crime

Since 1984, the federal government has had a crime victims fund seeded with money from fines and penalties from federal convictions. Dollars are doled out to states to support community organizations providing services to victims of crime.

But that money is wildly inconsistent, says Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview). She said the amount available for distribution peaked in 2018 at $3.85 billion, and decreased to $1.2 billion in 2024.

To combat that federal instability and to help a growing number of crime victims, Moller sponsors HF1082, which would create a Minnesota victims of crime account. It would be funded by transfers from the General Fund, revenue from an increase in marriage license fees, and a penalty assessment on corporations convicted of crimes.

“We really are at a crisis moment right now with victim services funding,” Moller said.

With the state budget situation also in flux, she said, the time is right to create “an alternative special revenue account that is going to be dedicated to victim services funding.”

The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee approved the bill, as amended, Tuesday and sent it to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee.

Rep. Marion Rarick (R-Maple Lake) said she and Moller spent the last few months brainstorming on ideas on how to fund the crime victim services fund.

“This is an effort of both sides of the aisle trying to come together to actually come up with some ideas of how we can take care of the most vulnerable in our communities and in our society,” she said.

Three revenue sources are specified in the bill:

• increase civil marriage license fees from $115 to $125, and place the extra money generated into the crime victims fund;
• require a corporation sentenced for a criminal offense to pay an assessment of up to $1 million into the crime victim fund in addition to any fine imposed by a court; and
• an unspecified amount in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 would be appropriated from the General Fund.

Funds would be appropriated to the Office of Justice Programs within the Department of Public Safety to provide grants to crime victim services providers and used for direct services and advocacy for victims of sexual assault, general crime, domestic violence and child abuse.

The bill also specifies that services funded must include services for victims of crime in underserved communities most impacted by violence and reflect the ethnic, racial, economic, cultural and geographic diversity of the state.

Sarah Reynolds, executive director of Child’s Place in Redwood Falls, described the crucial work her organization provides in six counties in southwest Minnesota, plus the Lower Sioux Indian community.

Her staff consists of herself, a trained forensic interviewer and a child advocate. They brought “justice and healing while prioritizing their well-being” to 109 children in 2024, she said.

Reynolds said 85% of their budget comes from grants from the Office of Justice Programs.

“We stand by children and families during their most traumatic moments. Any reduction in this funding would force us to close our doors, halting services to children in our rural communities.”