Senate Bill 3070

AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SERVING ABUSED CHILDREN AND CONDUCTING FORENSIC INTERVIEWS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The following sum, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Fund not otherwise appropriated, to the Attorney General for Children's Advocacy Centers for the purpose of defraying costs associated with serving abused children and conducting forensic interviews for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026...........................................

.................................................. $ 545,000.00.

SECTION 2. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Children's Advocacy Centers shall continue serving abused children and conducting forensic interviews which aid in child abuse cases.

SECTION 3. It is the intent of the Legislature to:

(a) Transfer Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00) allocated for Children's Advocacy Centers at the Department of Health in the Victim Services Fund via the Office Against Personal Interpersonal Violence to the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Fund.

(b) Transfer Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000.00) to the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Fund to replace lost federal Victims of Crime Act funding.

SECTION 4. The money appropriated in this act shall be paid by the State Treasurer out of any money in the Children's Advocacy Centers of Mississippi Fund not otherwise appropriated, upon warrants issued by the State Fiscal Officer; and the State Fiscal Officer shall issue his warrants upon requisitions signed by the proper person, officer or officers in the manner provided by law.

SECTION 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025.