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2024 Session

Budget Amendments - SB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Boysko
DCJS: Study Expansion of Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program

Item 394 #16s

Item 394 #16s

First Year - FY2025 Second Year - FY2026
Public Safety and Homeland Security
Department of Criminal Justice Services FY2025 $50,000 FY2026 $0 GF

Language
Page 447, line 5, strike "$223,993,666" and insert "$224,043,666".

Page 448, after line 19, insert:

"c. The Department of Criminal Justice Services (the Department) shall convene a work group to study and make recommendations on requiring a local court-appointed special advocate (CASA) program to be established and available in every judicial district of the Commonwealth. The work group shall include the CASA Program Coordinator, representatives of at least two local CASA programs, at least two volunteer court-appointed special advocates, at least two judges of a juvenile and domestic relations district court and one judge of a circuit court sitting in a judicial district where a local CASA program is established, at least two judges of a juvenile and domestic relations district court and one judge of a circuit court sitting in a judicial district where no local CASA program has been established, a representative from the Department of Social Services, and any other stakeholders deemed appropriate by the Department. The work group shall identify any judicial districts in the Commonwealth where no local CASA program has been established and determine the feasibility, including analyzing any obstacles, of requiring the establishment of a local CASA program in every judicial district. The work group shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2024."



Explanation

(This amendment provides $50,000 GF the first year for the Department of Criminal Justice Services to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on requiring a local court-appointed special advocate (CASA) program to be established and available in every judicial district of the Commonwealth and submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by November 1, 2024.)