Effective: September 29, 2013
Latest Legislation: House Bill 59 - 130th General Assembly
(A) As used in this section:
(1) "Rape crisis program" means any of the following:
(a) The nonprofit state sexual assault coalition designated by the center for injury prevention and control of the federal centers for disease control and prevention;
(b) A victim witness assistance program operated by a prosecuting attorney;
(c) A program operated by a government-based or nonprofit entity that provides a full continuum of services to victims of sexual assault, including hotlines, victim advocacy, and support services from the onset of the need for services through the completion of healing, that does not provide medical services, and that may refer victims to physicians for medical care but does not engage in or refer for services for which the use of genetic services funds is prohibited by section 3701.511 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Sexual assault" means any of the following:
(a) A violation of section 2907.02, 2907.03, 2907.04, 2907.05, or former section 2907.12 of the Revised Code;
(b) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state or the United States that is or was substantially equivalent to any section listed in division (A)(2)(a) of this section.
(B) There is hereby created in the state treasury the rape crisis program trust fund, consisting of money paid into the fund pursuant to sections 307.515 and 311.172 of the Revised Code and any money appropriated to the fund by the general assembly or donated to the fund. The attorney general shall administer the fund. The attorney general may use not more than five per cent of the money deposited or appropriated into the fund to pay costs associated with administering this section and shall use at least ninety-five per cent of the money deposited or appropriated into the fund for the purpose of providing funding to rape crisis programs under this section.
(C)(1) The attorney general shall adopt rules under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish procedures for rape crisis programs to apply to the attorney general for funding out of the rape crisis program trust fund and procedures for the attorney general to distribute money out of the fund to rape crisis programs.
(2) The attorney general may decide upon an application for funding out of the rape crisis program trust fund without a hearing. A decision of the attorney general to grant or deny funding is final and not appealable under Chapter 119. or any other provision of the Revised Code.
(D) A rape crisis program that receives funding out of the rape crisis program trust fund shall use the money received only for the following purposes:
(1) If the program is the nonprofit state sexual assault coalition, to provide training and technical assistance to service providers;
(2) If the program is a victim witness assistance program, to provide victims of sexual assault with hotlines, victim advocacy, or support services;
(3) If the program is a government-based or nonprofit entity that provides a full continuum of services to victims of sexual assault, to provide those services and education to prevent sexual assault.