The Michigan House today approved Rep. Bronna Kahle’s plan to give crime victims who have endured mental or emotional injury the opportunity to access compensation, giving them the chance to fully heal.

Crime victims often incur exorbitant costs when trying to rebuild their lives, but under the current system, the Crime Victims Compensation program does very little to benefit crime victims and their families during traumatic times. Kahle says these benefits should be expanded.

“The mental and emotional harm and trauma that crime victims experience in the wake of a violent incident can run deep, oftentimes even more so than physical harm,” Kahle said during her speech to her colleagues on the House floor. “Left unaddressed, this pain and suffering can have devastating, lifelong effects, making it difficult to return to work, home, and the life they once knew.”

Kahle’s plan amends the state’s Crime Victims Compensation act to expand the people and expenses that are eligible for compensation under the act.

Other bills in the plan:

• Extend the timeframe to file a claim from one year to five years and allow a personal representative to make a claim on the victim’s behalf.
• Increase the age by which a minor may make a claim for criminal sexual conduct from 19 to 28 years of age. Claims could be made beyond 28 years of age if good cause can be shown for the delay.
• Allow for electronic submission of claims.
• Remove the requirement to report a crime to police within 48 hours to be eligible for funding.
• Require a claimant to repay an award for an expense covered under the act if they received payment from a person who committed the crime, insurance, or other public funds not including disability or death benefits paid to a police or corrections employee.

The plan now moves to the Senate for further consideration.