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Dewine Expected To Support Funding For Rape Crisis Programs
< < Back to dewine-expected-support-funding-rape-crisis-programsUPDATE 4:13 P.M. 3/19/13 Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine is expected to announce new efforts Wednesday morning to provide services for sexual assault victims, and will also address proposed legislation to create a rape crisis progam trust fund.
Dewine, Rep. Nan Baker (R-Westlake), Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) and representatives from the victim services community will attend the announcement.
Sources from the attorney general's office and Schuring's office told WOUB Monday that Baker will introduce new legislation, which will be co-sponsored by Schuring.
A representative from Baker's office confirmed that the new legislation will include a fee for sex offender registration from the rape crisis program trust fund.
Dewine's office said that the initative began after they conducted a survey, which began in May 2012, that found that 52 of Ohio's 88 counties do not offer conprehensive, direct services for sexual assault victims.
Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine is expected to announce support Wednesday morning for a bill in the Ohio House that would provide funding to rape crisis programs.
Sources from the attorney general's office and Rep. Kirk Schuring's (R-Canton) office tell WOUB that Rep. Nan Baker (R-Westlake) will introduce the legislation, which will be co-sponsored by Schuring.
The news comes only a day after a verdict was reached in a Steubenville, Ohio rape case that drew national media attention.
The legislation is expected to be a modified version of House Bill 488 which Baker introduced in March 2012. The proposed bill was never voted on by Ohio lawmakers, but would have required sex offenders to pay a higher court cost that would be directed towards a rape crisis fund.
Baker has previously discussed the idea of attaching a fee to sex offender registrations to raise the money for the rape crisis fund, but it's unclear if that will be included in the new legislation.