Sen. Anne Carney bill to provide funding for essential services for victims of violent crime receives committee support

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, April 29, the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary voted to advance LD 1139, “An Act to Provide Funding for Essential Services for Victims of Crimes.” The bill, sponsored by Sen. Anne Carney, D-Cape Elizabeth, would fund essential services for victims of violent crime, including sexual assault and domestic violence.

“The loss of federal funding through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) poses an existential threat to the vital services administered by victim services providers throughout the state of Maine,” said Sen. Carney. “These services include everything from medical care and counseling to legal advocacy and Maine’s 24/7 domestic violence helpline. The bipartisan support on the Judiciary Committee for LD 1139 demonstrates our commitment to preventing the catastrophic across-the-board cuts to victim services that will occur if we do not step in to help. Maine’s victim services system is working well. I appreciate my colleagues’ willingness to invest in its continued existence.”

Until last year, federal funding through the VOCA was the core funding source for most of Maine’s victim services agencies and provided basic and essential victim services. In 2024, Maine faced a shortfall of $6M due to reductions in federal VOCA grants. The Legislature acted on similar legislation from Sen. Carney last year and appropriated the necessary funding on a one-time basis, but further funding is needed for the upcoming fiscal years to maintain Maine’s victim services network.

If passed, LD 1139 would provide ongoing funding of $6 million for crime victims services, which include counseling and mental health services, legal advocacy and assistance and medical care and forensic exams. Any unused funds appropriated for this purpose at the end of each year will be carried forward to the following year to be used for the same purposes.

In her testimony in support of LD 1139 at the public hearing on April 17, Elizabeth Ward Saxl, Executive Director of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, illustrated the impact this bill would have in Maine. She said, “One in five Mainers will experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and every year in Maine, 19,000 [people] are sexually assaulted. Fortunately, there are services available that can support these survivors, and we are here today to ask for your help in ensuring that they can continue to do their vitally important work. … [T]hese services will either not exist or will be drastically reduced if this funding gap is not addressed.”

LD 1139 now faces votes in the Senate and House.

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