Relating to the disposition of collected criminal case fines and establishing a victim restitution fund

This bill relates to the disposition of collected criminal case fines. Current law provides that the clerk of the district court shall distribute the fine amount for a criminal violation that occurred within the boundaries of a county as follows: percent to the state court administrator and percent to the county treasurer for deposit in the county general fund where the violation occurred. The bill provides that the fine amount for a criminal violation that occurred within the boundaries of a county shall be distributed as follows: percent to the state court administrator, percent to the county treasurer for deposit in the county general fund where the violation occurred, and percent to the victim restitution fund established in the bill. The bill provides that a victim restitution fund is established as a separate fund in the state treasury.3B. “Pecuniary damages” means all damages to the extent not paid by an insurer on an insurance claim by a victim, which a victim could recover against the offender in a civil action arising out of the same facts or event, except punitive damages and damages for pain, suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium, and includes damages for wrongful death and expenses incurred for psychiatric or psychological services or counseling or other counseling for the victim, which became necessary as a direct result of the criminal activity.3B provides for the payment of at least $150,000 to a victim’s estate or a victim’s heirs in addition to pecuniary damages.33, moneys in the fund that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available for expenditure for the purposes designated.