LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

SENATE, No. 1294

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: MARCH 10, 2026

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Permits exception to VCCO compensation reporting requirement for unreported sexual offenses if victim received certain forensic medical services.

Type of Impact:

Annual increase in State expenditures.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Law and Public Safety.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Annual

 

State Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

·       The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds the annual expenditure increases associated with this bill to be indeterminate, as there are no data with which to evaluate the fiscal impact on the Department of Law and Public Safety’s Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) resulting from additional administrative expenses and the payment of additional claims.

·       This bill expands the instances for which VCCO compensation is permitted to include payments to victims of certain sex offenders who did not report the offense to law enforcement, but did receive forensic medical services from a county sexual assault response team.  As a payer of last resort, the office would incur these costs in situations where insurance or medical coverage has not made these payments otherwise.

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill permits an order of payment by the Victims of Crime Compensation Office to individuals who have received forensic medical services from a county sexual assault response team for a sexual offense that has not been reported to the police or other appropriate law enforcement agency.

      Under current law, in order to receive compensation from the office, an applicant is required to have reported the sexual offense to the police or other appropriate law enforcement agency.

      Under this bill, an applicant is not required to have reported the offense to the police or other appropriate law enforcement agency if the applicant has received forensic medical services from a sexual assault response team established under current law for aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, or criminal sexual contact.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS finds the annual expenditure increases associated with this proposed legislation to be indeterminate, as there are no data with which to evaluate the fiscal impact on the Department of Law and Public Safety’s Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO) resulting from additional administrative expenses and the payment of additional claims.

      VCCO Expenditures: This bill expands the instances for which VCCO compensation is permitted to include individuals who have received forensic medical services from a county sexual assault response team for a sexual offense that has not been reported to the police or other appropriate law enforcement agency.

      According to the VCCO, in FY 2024 there were 428 claims filed under the category of sexual assault and $1,678,351 expended for those claims.  In FY 2023 there were 436 claims filed under the category of sexual assault and $1,743,875 expended for those claims.

 

Victims of Crime Compensation Office

Number of Sexual Assault Claims & Awards*

Fiscal Year

Number of Claims

Total Award Amount

FY 2024

428

$1,678,351

FY 2023

436

$1,743,875

FY 2022

122

$488,045

FY 2021

131

$326,382

* New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office FY 2023-2024 Report and FY 2021-2022 Report

 

      Currently, a crime must be reported to the police within nine months after it occurs, or within nine months from the time it was known or believed to have occurred.  The OLS does not know how many survivors of unreported sexual assault would request a VCCO claim.  The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s website indicates that one in three New Jersey residents have experienced sexual violence at some point in their lives.  Depending on the number of qualifying claimants and the resource allocation policies of the office, the added responsibilities of investigating and processing additional cases may or may not increase State administrative expenditures.

      The OLS notes that the amount of compensation payable to a victim, provider, and to any other claimant, sustaining economic loss because of injury to or death of that victim, however, may not exceed $25,000.  In addition, as a payer of last resort, the VCCO would only incur these costs in situations where insurance or medical coverage have not made these payments otherwise.

      The following table summarizes compensable benefits from the Victims of Crime Compensation Office.

Victims of Crime Compensation Office Compensable Benefits*

Compensable Benefit

Explanation

Medical Expenses

Medically related expenses that are not covered by other insurance or benefits programs.

Mental Health Counseling

Mental health counseling up to $20,000 for a direct victim and up to $7,000 for immediate family members.

Loss of Support for Dependents

Loss of support for dependents in homicide cases and from the offender in domestic violence/sexual assault cases. Maximum of $600 per week not to exceed 48 months.

Temporary Loss of Earnings

Temporary loss of earnings for direct victims up to $600 per week not to exceed 24 months; permanent loss of earnings not to exceed 5 years.

Funeral Expenses

Funeral expenses of up to $7,500.

Bereavement Benefits

Bereavement benefits of up to two weeks.

Transportation

Limited transportation costs for funerals and medical treatment.

Childcare

Childcare, day care and after school care costs up to $6,500.

Domestic Service

Limited domestic service up to $6,500 for non-medically related service expenses that provide day-to-day living support for a victim or claimant.

Crime Scene Cleanup

Crime scene cleanup expenses up to $4,000.

Relocation

Relocation expenses up to $3,000 when necessary as a result of the crime where the health and safety of the victim are jeopardized.

Reimbursement For Stolen Cash

Reimbursement for up to $1,000 in stolen cash resulting from assault and robbery, if the victim is at least 60 years old or determined to be disabled and meets financial guidelines.

Attorney Fees

Attorney fees at $275 per hour, up to $10,000.

Catastrophic Benefits

Catastrophic Benefits – Supplemental

Home/Vehicle Modification

$35,000 for home/vehicle modification and rehabilitative services only.

* New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office FY 2023-2024 Report

 

 

Section:

Law and Public Safety

Analyst:

Kristin Brunner Santos

Lead Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).