A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by amending Section 16-3-1430, relating to Victim assistance services, so as to remove references to spouse abuse and reference domestic violence and update the statute to reflect victim services.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.   Section 16-3-1430(A) of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

   (A) The Department of Crime Victim Services Training, Provider Certification, and Statistical Analysis, in collaboration with the Department of Crime Victim Compensation, is authorized to provide the following victim assistance services, contingent upon the availability of funds in the Victim Compensation Fund:

      (1) provide information, training, and technical assistance to state and local agencies and groups involved in victim and domestic violence assistance, such as the Attorney General's Office, the solicitors' offices, law enforcement agencies, judges, hospital staff, rape crisis centers, and spouse abusedomestic violence shelters;

      (2) provide recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on needed legislation and services for victims;

      (3) serve as a clearinghouse of victim information;

      (4) develop ongoing public awareness and programs to assist victims, such as newsletters, brochures, television and radio spots and programs, and news articles;

      (5) provide staff support for a Victim Services Coordinating Council representative of all agencies and groups involved in victim and domestic violence services to improve coordination efforts, suggest policy and procedural improvements to those agencies and groups as needed, and recommend needed statutory changes to the General Assembly; and

      (6) coordinate the development and implementation of policy and guidelines for the treatment of victims with appropriate agencies.

SECTION 2.   This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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