The bill amends Section 12-25-28 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-25, titled "Criminal Injuries Compensation," to establish a special indemnity account within the general fund specifically for criminal injuries compensation. The amendment includes a new provision that extends the assessment of court costs to defendants charged with traffic violations, in addition to those already charged with felonies, misdemeanors, and petty misdemeanors. The court costs are set at different amounts depending on the severity of the crime, with a new subsection specifying a $1.00 surcharge for each civil or criminal traffic violation, excluding parking violations. The collected surcharges from traffic violations are to be transmitted to the crime victims' compensation fund by the clerks of courts within 30 days.

The bill also outlines that these costs must be assessed regardless of whether the defendant is sentenced to prison and cannot be waived unless the court finds an inability to pay. In cases with multiple counts or charges, the judge may suspend the payment obligation for all counts or charges above two. Additionally, up to 15% of the state funds raised under this section, along with federal matching funds, may be used to cover administrative expenses necessary for operating the program. The act is set to take effect one year after its passage, and its purpose is to fund the state crime victim compensation program through the additional fines imposed on traffic violations.

Statutes affected:
2754: 12-25-28