| Chapter 303 |
| 2026 -- S 3263 Enacted 06/23/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE -- CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION |
Introduced By: Senator Matthew L. LaMountain |
| Date Introduced: May 05, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 12-25-20 and 12-25-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-25 |
| entitled "Criminal Injuries Compensation" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 12-25-20. Offenses to which chapter applies. |
| The office may award compensation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter for |
| personal injury or death which resulted from offenses in the following categories: |
| (1) Assault with intent to commit murder, robbery, or rape; |
| (2) Assault with a dangerous weapon; |
| (3) Assault and battery; |
| (4) Mayhem; |
| (5) Indecent assault and battery on a child under thirteen (13) years of age; |
| (6) Arson or statutory burning; |
| (7) Kidnapping; |
| (8) Robbery or larceny from that person; |
| (9) Murder; |
| (10) Manslaughter; |
| (11) First or second degree sexual assault; |
| (12) Child molestation, first or second degree; |
| (13) The abominable and detestable crime against nature or assault with intent to commit |
| the abominable and detestable crime against nature Stalking pursuant to § 11-59-2; |
| (14) Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; |
| (15) Refusal by a driver to submit to a chemical test for alcohol or drugs in the immediate |
| aftermath of a collision; |
| (16) Driving so as to endanger, resulting in death, pursuant to § 31-27-1; |
| (17) Driving so as to endanger, resulting in personal injury, pursuant to § 31-27-1.1; |
| (18) Any other crime excluding motor vehicle offenses other than those enumerated in this |
| section which results in personal injury or death; and |
| (19) Failure to stop by a driver in circumstances which result in the death of any person, |
| pursuant to § 31-26-1. |
| 12-25-21. Nature of compensation. |
| (a) The office may award compensation under this chapter for: |
| (1) Expenses actually and reasonably incurred as a result of the personal injury or death of |
| the victim; |
| (2) Pecuniary loss to the dependents of the deceased victim; |
| (3) Any other pecuniary loss resulting from the personal injury or death of the victim, the |
| amount of which the office finds upon the evidence to be reasonable and necessary; |
| (4) The administrator may issue a supplemental award for compensation for additional |
| medical expenses, including psychiatric care and mental health counseling, provided that the victim |
| provides proper documentation that the additional medical expenses have been actually and |
| reasonably incurred as a direct result of the personal injury. The administrator shall issue a |
| supplemental award as long as the total award does not exceed the maximum award allowable |
| under this chapter; |
| (5) The administrator may issue an award for expenses related to psychiatric care and |
| mental health counseling for a parent, spouse, sibling or child of a victim who dies as a direct result |
| of a violent crime as defined in this chapter, provided that the parent, spouse, sibling or child |
| provide proper documentation that the psychiatric care and mental health counseling have been |
| actually and reasonably incurred as a direct result of the death of the victim; and |
| (6) The administrator may issue an award for expenses related to psychiatric care and |
| mental health counseling for a secondary victim, provided that the secondary victim provides |
| proper documentation that the psychiatric care and mental health counseling have been actually |
| and reasonably incurred as a direct result of witnessing the homicide of a victim or the domestic |
| violence incident against a victim. An award issued to a secondary victim for psychiatric care and |
| mental health counseling shall not exceed one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) and shall not |
| be paid upon a secondary victim reaching the age of eighteen (18); and |
| (7) Where an individual has been the victim of stalking, the administrator may only award |
| emergency compensation for relocation or for reasonable modifications to a victim’s residence |
| under § 12-25-21.1. Victims of stalking shall not be entitled to compensation for any other expense |
| unless they were the victim of another compensable offense under § 12-25-20. |
| (b) In determining the amount of the judgment or order approving a settlement, the office |
| shall take into consideration the rates and amounts payable for injuries and death under other |
| statutes of this state and of the United States, and the amount of revenue in the violent crimes |
| indemnity account and the number and nature of claims pending against it. The office shall make |
| every effort to ensure that compensation awards are paid within six (6) months of the date of |
| application. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC004671 |
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