HOUSE BILL NO. 534 An Act extending the termination date of the office of victims' rights. SARA NIELSEN, STAFF TO REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS, explained that HB 534 simply extends the sunset date for the Office of Victims' Rights to 2010. The Office provides legal counsel, education and assistance to victims of crimes. Co-Chair Williams noted that the usual extension is four years, and asked the reason for this extension. Ms. Nielsen replied that some of the cases are longer than one year and the sponsor wanted to ensure that current victims would have assistance in the future. The Office doesn't have the typical one-year "wrap up" of other boards and commissions. Representative Stoltze commented that the Senate passed SB 105 [Twenty-Second Legislature, 2001] and it didn't have the sunset date, and he questioned why HB 534 needs the sunset. Ms. Nielsen replied that the Twenty-second Legislature passed SB 105 and the original bill did not have a sunset date. The House Judiciary Committee added the sunset date to give parameters. Governor Knowles vetoed the original bill in the Twenty-first Legislature, which also did not have a sunset date. Representative Stoltze asked if the sponsor had a position on whether the sunset date is needed. Ms. Nielsen replied that the sponsor would support not having a sunset date at all because the Office of Victims' Rights is included in the annual audit by the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee. Representative Chenault questioned why FY 2007 on Fiscal Note #1 shows an increase to more than $500 thousand. KARLA SCHOFIELD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AGENCY, explained that the current termination date for the Office would be July 1, 2006, which is actually FY 07. For the next two years, this funding would be included in the regular budget, as it has been in the past. Once FY 07 begins, and if the Office was extended, this would be a continuing cost through FY 2010. Representative Chenault brought up the language in the fiscal note Analysis dated 4/5/2004 that states, "If this legislation passes, the funding for the Office of Victims' Rights will continue to be included in the Legislature's budget." Ms. Schofield explained that it would probably continue to be in the Legislature's budget through FY 06. Representative Croft proposed deleting rather than extending the effective date from FY 06 to FY 10, and the title, but he didn't want to hold up the bill. He asked Co-Chair Williams how to do a conceptual amendment to accomplish that. Representative Stoltze thought that the original statute contained sunset repealers, and it would simply involve repealing those. Ms. Nielsen thought that the sponsor would be supportive of a conceptual amendment removing the termination date. Representative Croft MOVED to ADOPT a conceptual amendment eliminating the termination date for the Office of Victims' Rights to make it a continuing office. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Representative Foster MOVED to report CSHB 534(FIN) out of Committee with the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. CSHB 534(FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with one accompanying fiscal impact note.