1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to crime prevention; clarifying the scope of 
  1.3             the witness and victim protection fund; appropriating 
  1.4             money; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 
  1.5             299C.065, subdivision 1a. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 299C.065, 
  1.8   subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 1a.  [WITNESS AND VICTIM PROTECTION FUND.] A witness 
  1.10  and victim protection fund is created under the administration 
  1.11  of the commissioner of public safety.  The commissioner may make 
  1.12  grants to local officials to provide for the relocation or other 
  1.13  protection of a victim, witness, or potential witness who is 
  1.14  involved in a criminal prosecution and who the commissioner has 
  1.15  reason to believe is or is likely to be the target of a violent 
  1.16  crime or a violation of section 609.498 or 609.713, in 
  1.17  connection with that prosecution.  The awarding of grants under 
  1.18  this subdivision is not limited to the crimes and investigations 
  1.19  described in subdivision 1.  The commissioner may award grants 
  1.20  for any of the following actions in connection with the 
  1.21  protection of a witness or victim under this subdivision: 
  1.22     (1) to provide suitable documents to enable the person to 
  1.23  establish a new identity or otherwise protect the person; 
  1.24     (2) to provide housing for the person; 
  1.25     (3) to provide for the transportation of household 
  2.1   furniture and other personal property to the person's new 
  2.2   residence; 
  2.3      (4) to provide the person with a payment to meet basic 
  2.4   living expenses for a time period the commissioner deems 
  2.5   necessary; 
  2.6      (5) to assist the person in obtaining employment; and 
  2.7      (6) to provide other services necessary to assist the 
  2.8   person in becoming self-sustaining. 
  2.9      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.10     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.11  commissioner of public safety for the fiscal biennium ending 
  2.12  June 30, 1997, to be used for the witness and victim protection 
  2.13  fund established in Minnesota Statutes, section 299C.065, 
  2.14  subdivision 1a.