Senate Bill 1068 Summary

• Amends the Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Act by expanding the definition of "allowable expense" to include counseling for victims, bereavement wage loss for next of kin of homicide victims, travel and lodging expenses for family members to attend criminal trials, crime scene cleanup costs, and vehicle impound fees related to crime scene evidence collection.

• Adds new eligible claimants to receive compensation, including persons otherwise entitled to compensation under the Act beyond just victims and dependents.

• Establishes compensation limits: bereavement wage loss capped at $1,000 per eligible next of kin (within 30 days of death), travel and lodging expenses for attending trial capped at $2,000 aggregate with distance requirement of 300+ miles from trial location.

• Specifies existing compensation caps for funeral expenses ($7,500), crime scene cleanup ($2,000), vehicle impound fees ($750), and caregiver wage loss ($3,000).

• Effective date set for November 1, 2012.