Victims of crime: compensation.

Existing law authorizes the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board to award compensation to a crime victim or derivative victim, as defined, from the Restitution Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, for the pecuniary losses that he or she suffers as a direct result of a criminal act. Existing law requires the board to approve or deny applications, based on recommendations of the board staff, within an average of 90 calendar days and no later than 180 calendar days of acceptance by the board or victim center. Existing law requires quarterly reports to the Legislature if the board does not meet the 90-day average standard, until the standard is met for 2 consecutive quarters. Existing law requires the board, if it fails to approve or deny an individual application within 180 days of the date it is accepted, to advise the applicant and his or her representative, in writing, of the reason for the failure to approve or deny the application. Existing law provides for emergency awards under specified circumstances, and requires that disbursements of funds for emergency awards be made within 30 calendar days of application. This bill would shorten the time period in which the board must approve or deny an application to within 30 calendar days of the date of acceptance by the board or victim center. The bill would require quarterly reports to the Legislature if the board does not meet a 30-day deadline until the board meets the 30-day deadline for accepted applications for 2 consecutive quarters. The bill would require written advisement if the board fails to approve or deny an individual application by the 30-day deadline. The bill would also shorten the time period in which the board must make disbursements of funds for emergency awards to within 5 business days of application.