La. Admin. Code tit. 4 § VII-1737

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section VII-1737 - Guidelines for Application of Additional Marriage License Fees

A. Introduction. The Programs for Victims of Family Violence Fund was established by Acts 60 and 61 of the first Extraordinary Session, 1983 Louisiana Legislature, for the purpose of providing supplemental funding for family violence programs. Act 1056 of the 1986 Louisiana Legislature provides for the collection of additional marriage license fees by the clerk of court in each parish for deposit into the Programs for Victims of Family Violence Fund effective September, 1986. The amount of the additional fee will be $12.50 per marriage license. The fees will accumulate in the fund each fiscal year to be appropriated by the legislature for the following fiscal year. After the accumulated fees are appropriated by the legislature, the Office of Women's Services is authorized to make allocations from the fund to local family violence programs. The maximum allowable amount of monies available for distribution during any fiscal year to a program serving any parish or parishes will be the amount of fees collected in that parish or parishes during that fiscal year. Any monies generated by the fees collected in a parish, which have not been allocated for family violence services during that fiscal year, will remain to the credit of the parish and will be available for distribution to local family violence programs serving that parish.

B. Definitions

Family or Household Members - spouses, former spouses, or children of either or both such persons.

Family Violence - any assault, battery, or other physical abuse which occurs between family or household members, who reside together or who formerly resided together.

C. Eligible Organizations

1. In order to be eligible to apply for funds under the Programs for Victims of Family Violence Fund, the applicant organization must, at a minimum, meet the following criteria:

a. must have the primary purpose of providing assistance to victims of family violence or operate a program whose primary purpose is providing assistance to family violence victims;

b. must be locally administered by a public or private nonprofit organization;

c. must provide services that include, but are not limited to, the following:

i. counseling for victims or their spouses;

ii. around-the-clock shelter which provides safe refuge and temporary lodging for victims of family violence and their minor, unmarried children, or referral to such a shelter;

iii. support programs that assist victims of family violence in obtaining needed medical, legal, or other services and information;

iv. educational programs relating to family violence in order to increase community awareness.

2. Must meet minimum health, safety, and program standards adopted by the Office of Women's Services. (Copies of standards available through Office of Women's Services, Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095.)

3. Must demonstrate that it has received or can expect to receive funding equal to 20 percent of its anticipated cost of operation from the area served by the program. In-kind contributions may be evaluated and included as part of the required local funding.

D. Allowable Costs

1. The costs incurred for the provision of services to victims of family violence would include the following categories:

a. the payment of salaries and fringe for personnel working in the program;

b. the payment of travel expenses for personnel to conduct program business;

c. the payment of rent, utilities, food, supplies, and other general operating expenses of the program;

d. the purchase of equipment and essential furniture for the program;

e. the payment of indirect costs for administration of the family violence grant and for professional consultation services.

2. Line item changes may be made only with prior approval from the Office of Women's Services. The clerk of court may retain 5 percent of the fees collected in the parish for administrative costs prior to deposit into the fund. The Office of Women's Services will retain 5 percent of the amount appropriated from the fund for administrative costs.

3. State funds may not be used to urge any elector to vote for or against any candidate or proposition on an election ballot, or to lobby for or against any proposition or matter having the effect of law being considered by the legislature or any local governing authority.

E. Application Process

1. Notification of the availability of funds for family violence programs for each fiscal year will be given through the Office of Women's Services.

2. Application packets will be sent to all existing family violence program providers and all persons/organizations who have made past inquiries regarding funding. Interested potential applicants may request application packets from the Office of Women's Services, Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095.

3. The application packet will be mailed within five working days of receipt of request.

4. The applications must be received by the Office of Women's Services by June 1 of each year.

5. All applications will be evaluated and prioritized according to the stated criteria for evaluation. During the evaluation process, applicants may be contacted by the Office of Women's Services to review and negotiate the application and proposed budget.

6. Applicants will be notified by the Office of Women's Services as to the final decision within 60 days of receipt of the application.

7. The contracts will be signed, and distribution of funds will begin within 45 days of final approval of the contract.

La. Admin. Code tit. 4, § VII-1737

Promulgated by the Office of the Governor, Office of Women's Services, LR 13:238 (April 1987), amended LR 14:230 (April 1988), LR 15:268 (April 1989), LR 16:302 (April 1990), LR 17:479 (May 1991).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 46:2121.1(1)R.S. 46:2126, R.S. 45:2127 and R.S. 46:2128.