The Montana Board of Crime Control asked the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Section D on Jan. 17 to fund victim‑services support on an ongoing basis, saying a one‑time $4 million infusion from the 2023 Legislature made an immediate difference but that federal funding has declined.

"The mission of the board of crime control is to proactively contribute to public safety, crime prevention, and victim assistance through planning, policy development, and coordination of justice system in partnership with citizens, government, and communities," said Natalia Bowser, director of the Montana Board of Crime Control. Bowser told the committee the agency uses federal grants and state allocations to distribute services across the state and to run the state's statistical analysis center.

Bowser and legislative budget staff described the board's 2027 biennium request as an increase of about $3.9 million, roughly 11.5% above the 2025 base. The budget presentation shows a $4 million request in state special revenue to continue victim services that were funded one time from the general fund in 2023, plus smaller adjustments in personal‑service authority.

Why it matters: the board distributes federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds and other grants to local victim‑service programs and county offices across Montana. Programs told the committee that reduced federal VOCA awards and continued demand for services put local providers at risk if state support lapses.

Bowser said the $4 million awarded from the 2023 session was immediately allocated to subgrantees in two tranches and was awarded on two‑year project periods, which helps explain why expenditures do not always align with appropriation years. "We allocated it right away, got it awarded out to sub grantees," she said, describing awards made in mid‑2023 and July 2024.

Legislative staff recommended caution. Walker Hopkins, a budget analyst who presented the board's documents to the committee, said the board's continuation proposal is “contingent upon legislation that will seek to create a new state special revenue account.” Hopkins reported that the Legislative Fiscal Division’s comment recommends not taking executive action on appropriations that depend on other pending legislation until that legislation passes.

Committee members and public commenters pressed both technical and policy questions. Representatives asked for program‑level detail about the 2023 funding: what organizations received awards, how the money was spent, and whether state funding would reduce federal awards. Bowser answered that the state funding did not reduce VOCA formula awards, which are determined at the federal level, and offered to provide a spreadsheet of subgrantees and a summary of federal audits and awards.

Dozens of community providers and coalitions gave public comment, telling the subcommittee the state funding was essential and urging continuation. Kelsen Young, executive director of the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, said increased state dollars had an immediate impact and credited the Board of Crime Control’s leadership for stability in administering grants. "We have the best relationship we've had," Young said.

Other providers described service volumes and unmet need. Gina Boesdorfer, executive director of the Friendship Center in Helena, said her program served more than 700 clients in 2024 and that 15% of crisis calls were missed connections because staff were already engaged. Nicole Griffith, director of Victim Witness Assistance Services in Great Falls, said her nonprofit had provided more than 700 services so far this year, including advocacy at emergency rooms, child interviews and court hearings.

What the board asked for: Bowser requested the $4 million be continued as an ongoing funding source, but she also told the committee the board prefers state general‑fund contingency language if the proposed state special revenue account (tied to LC44, a luxury tax concept) does not materialize. "If the funding that's gonna come in through that revenue source is not gonna be enough to give us at least $2,000,000 in that first fiscal year, that we make up the gap in general fund," she said.

Context and numbers: Hopkins' presentation showed fiscal‑year 2024 expenditures of about $11.8 million against a House Bill 2 budget of roughly $18 million for the board — a pattern Hopkins attributed to timing lags in federally funded pass‑through grants. Bowser noted that VOCA funding spiked in 2018 to about $11 million and that more typical awards since have ranged from about $5.5 million to $6 million; current federal projections provided to the board indicate about $3 million for 2025 unless supplemented.

Next steps: the committee did not take executive action on the board's request at the hearing. Members asked staff to compile subgrantee lists, audit summaries and program outcome tables for follow‑up; Bowser agreed to provide those materials and the board’s victim‑services map and needs assessment documents.

Voices from the field: multiple local victim‑service providers described how state funding stabilized operations and enabled shelter nights, crisis calls, court accompaniment and advocacy. Jen Battles, codirector of Domestic and Sexual Violence Services for Carbon and Stillwater counties, said the organization provided more than 7,000 services to nearly 200 victims after the state funds arrived. Erin Lambert, CEO of YWCA Billings, described the agency's 24‑hour shelter program and a newly formed family justice center that integrates civil, criminal and community resources.

The board's proposal remains tied to pending legislation to create a dedicated state special‑revenue account. Legislative staff signaled they will recommend waiting for that bill's outcome before authorizing appropriations that depend on it, and committee members requested more program‑level data before executive action.

Ending note: the subcommittee scheduled further work sessions and requested follow‑up materials. Bowser and board staff told members they would provide spreadsheets of subgrantees, a summary of federal audits, and data on clients served to inform the committee’s upcoming executive work.