Amends TCA Title 8; Title 29, Chapter 13 and Title 40.

This bill establishes a grant program within the district attorneys general conference to award grants to county governments to provide a safe and accessible space for victims to meet with attorneys, law enforcement, counselors, and others. For the purposes of such program: (1) A county may receive a one-time grant of up to $5,000 to create a suitable space for victims consistent with the purposes of this bill, this state's constitution, and present law relating to rights of crime victims and prosecution witnesses. A county must contribute, as a matching requirement, at least 25 percent of the grant amount requested; (2) The district attorneys general conference, in consultation with the comptroller of the treasury, must develop an application for enabling counties to request a grant and detail the county's matching contribution. The district attorney general of the applicable judicial district for the county will forward grant applications to the district attorneys general conference; and (3) Effective January 1, 2022, an aggregate amount not to exceed 2 percent of the total balance of the criminal injuries compensation fund may be used for grants to county governments to establish the meeting space. The treasurer, upon receipt of the application after consultation with the comptroller of the treasury and the county technical assistance service, will transfer necessary funds from the balance in the criminal injuries compensation fund to enable payment. Under present law, certain money is deposited to the criminal injuries compensation fund as provided by law and is appropriated exclusively for providing compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act. ON MAY 4, 2021, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 744, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to add to present law and require a report concerning waiting areas of victims of crime and witnesses during judicial processes. Present law generally requires that victims of crime and prosecution witnesses should be provided waiting areas that are separate and secure from the defendant or defense witnesses during all stages of the judicial process. In order to further the availability of such separate and secure waiting areas, this amendment requires the district attorneys general conference to assist in assessing whether such space exists for victims to meet with attorneys, law enforcement, counselors, and others, and to wait while attending judicial proceedings in judicial facilities throughout the state. This amendment requires the district attorneys general conference to submit a report to the chairs of the judiciary committee of the senate and the criminal justice committee of the house of representatives as to whether separate and secure waiting areas exist within each of the 31 judicial districts along with recommendations to achieve the requirements of present law. The report is due by March 1, 2022. This amendment also requires the district attorneys general conference to determine whether grant or other funding is available to create separate and secure waiting areas or to improve such existing spaces and assist judicial districts in achieving the creation or improvement of such separate and secure waiting areas.