Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law. *LGL104* 02/27/2025 10:11:12 AM LGL104 State of Arkansas 1 95th General Assembly A Bill 2 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1614 3 4 By: Representative Lundstrum 5 6 7 For An Act To Be Entitled 8 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DESIGNATIONS 9 RELATED TO CERTAIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE GRANT PROGRAMS; 10 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11 12 13 Subtitle 14 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DESIGNATIONS 15 RELATED TO CERTAIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE 16 GRANT PROGRAMS. 17 18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 19 20 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 25-1-111 is amended to read as follows: 21 25-1-111. Designation related to certain criminal justice grant 22 programs — Grant Advisory Board — Definition. 23 (a) The Governor shall have the authority to designate the state 24 agency responsible for the administration and disbursement of funds received 25 by the State of Arkansas under the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, 34 U.S.C. §§ 26 20101 — 20111, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103 -322, 27 and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, 42 U.S.C. § 10401 et 28 seq., and the sexual assault services program, 34 U.S.C. § 12511 , in the 29 manner authorized by federal law. 30 (b) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 31 shall not disburse Victims of Crime Act grant program, STOP Violence Against 32 Women Act grant program, or Family Violence Prevention and Services Act grant 33 program funds, or sexual assault services program funds without providing an 34 opportunity for subgrantee qualification selection assistance and 35 programmatic support by the Arkansas Child Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence 36 HB1614 2 02/27/2025 10:11:12 AM LGL104 Commission and the Grant Advisory Board. 1 (c)(1) The Grant Advisory Board is established under this section to 2 assist potential beneficiaries of the Victims of Crime Act grant program, 3 STOP Violence Against Women Act grant program, or Family Violence Prevention 4 and Services Act grant program funds, or sexual assault services program 5 funds by: 6 (A)(i) Providing review and advice concerning grant 7 processes and grant funding. 8 (ii) If a member of the Grant Advisory Board has a 9 financial interest in an organization seeking grant funding under subdivision 10 (c)(1)(A)(i) of this section, the member may participate in discussion 11 regarding the award of the grant, but the member shall not vote on the 12 matter; 13 (B) Hearing grievances from the beneficiaries of those 14 funds; and 15 (C) After Grant Advisory Board review, requiring the state 16 agency to provide timely notification to the Grant Advisory Board of any 17 revisions to existing rules and any proposed rules to be promulgated, within 18 federal guidelines, by the state agency designated by the Governor under this 19 section, concerning the Victims of Crime Act grant program, STOP Violence 20 Against Women Act grant program, or Family Violence Prevention and Services 21 Act grant program funds, or sexual assault services program funds, and any 22 applicable policies and procedures. 23 (2) The Grant Advisory Board shall consist of: 24 (A) Two (2) representatives selected by the Arkansas 25 Coalition Against Sexual Assault; 26 (B) Two (2) representatives selected by the Arkansas 27 Coalition Against Domestic Violence; 28 (C) Two (2) representatives selected by the Arkansas State 29 CASA Association; 30 (D) Two (2) representatives selected by the Prosecution 31 Coordination Commission; 32 (E) One (1) representative selected by the Criminal 33 Justice Institute Advisory Board for Law Enforcement Management Training and 34 Education; and 35 (F) One (1) representative selected by the Arkansas Child 36 HB1614 3 02/27/2025 10:11:12 AM LGL104 Abuse/Rape/Domestic Violence Commission; and 1 (G) One (1) representative each from any other advisory 2 body determined to be necessary by the state administrative agency, including 3 without limitation, the elderly, non -English-speaking residents, disabled 4 persons, members of racial or ethnic minorities, and residents of rural or 5 remote areas. 6 (d) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 7 shall not disburse Victims of Crime Act grant program funds without providing 8 an opportunity for review of and advice concerning grant processes and grant 9 funding by the Grant Advisory Board. 10 (e)(1) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 11 shall not disburse funds under the law enforcement, prosecution, and 12 judiciary percentages of the STOP Violence Against Women Act grant program, 13 without providing an opportunity for review of and advice concerning grant 14 processes and grant funding by the Grant Advisory Board. 15 (2) The state agency designated by the Governor under this 16 section shall not disburse funds under the victims services and discretionary 17 percentages of the STOP Violence Against Women Act grant program without 18 providing an opportunity for review of and advice concerning grant processes 19 and grant funding by the Grant Advisory Board. 20 (f) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 21 shall not disburse Family Violence Prevention and Services Act grant program 22 funds without providing an opportunity for review of and advice concerning 23 grant processes and grant funding by the Grant Advisory Board. 24 (g) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 25 shall not disburse sexual assault services program funds without providing an 26 opportunity for review of and advice concerning grant processes and grant 27 funding by the Grant Advisory Board. 28 (h) The state agency designated by the Governor under this section 29 shall, after the review and recommendations of the Grant Advisory Board, 30 promulgate rules consistent with federal law setting forth the policies and 31 procedures for the administration and disbursement of Victims of Crime Act 32 grant program, STOP Violence Against Women Act grant program, and Family 33 Violence Prevention and Services Act grant program funds, and sexual assault 34 services program funds, including policies and procedures for the 35 participation and assistance of advisory bodies established to assist 36 HB1614 4 02/27/2025 10:11:12 AM LGL104 potential beneficiaries of those funds. 1 (h)(1)(i) The Grant Advisory Board shall prepare and submit a written 2 report quarterly to the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental 3 Affairs and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 4 that includes: 5 (1) The status of the administration and disbursement of funds 6 received by the state, in a manner authorized by federal law, under the: 7 (A) Victims of Crime Act of 1984, 34 U.S.C. §§ 20101 - 8 20111; 9 (B) Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Pub L. No. 103 - 10 322; 11 (C) Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, 42 U.S.C. 12 § 10401 et seq.; and 13 (D) Sexual assault services program, 34 U.S.C. § 12511; 14 and 15 (2) The status of funding levels for support and continuity of 16 victim services programs. 17 (j)(1) As used in this section, “review” means an analysis, 18 evaluation, assessment, appraisal, inquiry, inspection, or a study. 19 (2) “Review” does not mean the authority utilized by the General 20 Assembly in its analysis of proposed rules or appropriations. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36