A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds for domestic violence programs to meet increased demands for services, to increase TANF funds for domestic violence prevention, to Appropriate funds to the judicial department to expand the family court program, to appropriate funds to be allocated to the North carolina council for women and the domestic violence commission to provide matching grant funds for the construction of shelters for victims of domestic violence, to appropriate funds to be allocated to the Governor's crime commission to create and fund supervised visitation and exchange centers, and to appropriate funds to adjust the salary and benefits for the Abuser Treatment program Coordinator position as recommended by the joint legislative committee on domestic violence.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the North Carolina Council for Women, the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year.  These funds shall be for domestic violence programs funded by the Council for Women and the Domestic Violence Commission to be used by local programs to meet increased demands for services to domestic violence victims.
SECTION 2.  The sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) appropriated in the TANF Block Grant to the Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services, for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year shall be used for Domestic Violence Prevention and Awareness and shall be used for grants to support initiatives by local domestic violence programs to prevent domestic violence.  Prevention activities shall include efforts to reach underserved populations and shall be culturally sensitive and multilingual.  The Department shall award grants to community‑based organizations that demonstrate the ability to collaborate and coordinate services with other local human services agencies and organizations in order to serve children and families where domestic violence has occurred or is occurring.  The Department shall report on the use of these funds no later than May 1, 2008, to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, and the Fiscal Research Division.
SECTION 3.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Judicial Department the sum of five hundred forty‑three thousand one hundred twelve dollars ($543,112) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year for the purpose of expanding the family court pilot program established in Section 25 of S.L. 1998‑202.  The funds shall be used to establish family courts in two additional district court districts to be selected by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
SECTION 4.(a)  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Administration the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to be allocated to the North Carolina Council for Women and the Domestic Violence Commission to provide for matching grant funds.  The Council shall make grants as follows:
(1)	For the construction of new shelters for victims of domestic violence.  For purposes of this subdivision, "new construction" shall include additions to existing shelters if the additional construction increases the residential space for victims of domestic violence.
(2)	For the purchase of existing space for use as a domestic violence shelter.
(3)	To assist in the payment of construction debt for existing domestic violence shelters.
SECTION 4.(b)  In determining grant awards, the Council shall establish grant criteria to include the following:
(1)	The availability of shelter facilities in the county where the shelter would be located or is currently located.  
(2)	The number of persons currently served or the approximate number of persons to be served by the facility.
(3)	The requirements under G.S. 50B‑9(2) and (3) for the receipt of funding.
SECTION 4.(c)  Funds provided for under this section shall be matched one‑for‑one by the applicant.  The Council shall not provide more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in a fiscal year to any applicant.
SECTION 4.(d)  The Council shall distribute grants semiannually.  The Council must receive applications for grants by September 30 of each year for grant awards to be distributed on or after November 1, and no later than March 31 of each year for grant awards to be distributed on or after May 1.
SECTION 4.(e)  Funds appropriated in this act shall not revert to the General Fund but shall remain with the Council for the purposes described in this act. 
SECTION 5.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to be allocated to the Governor's Crime Commission to create new supervised visitation and exchange centers and to continue funding existing supervised visitation and exchange centers in this State.  The Commission shall distribute the funds through its grant process.
SECTION 6.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Administration the sum of twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) for the 2007‑2008 fiscal year to be allocated to the North Carolina Council for Women and the Domestic Violence Commission to adjust the amount appropriated for the Abuser Treatment Program Coordinator position to address inadequacies in both the salary and associated benefits for this position.
SECTION 7.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.