Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act

Kay Farley from the National Center for State Courts reports that, on November 30, 2011, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the Violence Against Women Act of 2011 (S. 1925).  As introduced, the reauthorization level is 19% lower than the 2005 reauthorization level.  It is unknown, however, whether the reduction will have an impact as the VAWA-related grants have never been funded at the full authorization level.

In addition to the authorization level decrease, the bill includes a number of policy changes.

• Some grant programs are consolidated in an effort to improve and expand the most effective programs.  Of note is the proposed consolidation of two court-related training grants into the Court Training and Supervised Visitation Improvements grant program.  Funds may be used for the following activities:
• Supervised visitation and safe visitation exchange programs;
• Development of legislation, policies, and best practices for improving civil and criminal functions, responses, and practices, and procedures;
• Education for court-based and court-related personnel and child protective service workers;
• Resources in juvenile court matters;
• Enable courts, court-based or court-related programs to develop and enhance court infrastructure, programming, information storage and information sharing, education and outreach programs, and other projects;
• Civil legal assistance;
• Collect data and provide training and technical assistance to improve the capacity of grantees and communities; and
• Training and education for judges, court personnel, attorneys, child welfare personnel, and legal advocates in the civil justice system.
   
• Three changes are made to the STOP grant program – (1) the application process is streamlined by substituting a requirement for the development of an implementation plan for some the documentation currently submitted to the Office on Violence Against Women, (2) coverage under the grant is expanded to include male victims and persons victimized because of their sexual or gender orientation, and (3) a 25% set-aside is established for responding to sexual assault crimes.  
   
• Under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforce Protection Orders grant program, applicants will be required to certify that they do not charge victims for costs associated with the modification, enforcement, or dismissal of a protection order.
• The measure also provides for training to prevent homicide resulting from domestic violence.  The legislation encourages screening of victims for warning signs and providing immediate intervention for those at risk of homicide.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to schedule a mark-up session on S. 1925 in January 2012.  A reauthorization bill has not been introduced in the House yet.