Victims of Crime Act Victim Compensation Grant Program; Withdrawal, 582 [2024-31012]

Agencies

• Department of Justice
• Office of Justice Programs

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 3 (Monday, January 6, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31012]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Office of Justice Programs

28 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. OJP (OVC) 1808]
RIN 1121-AA89


Victims of Crime Act Victim Compensation Grant Program; 
Withdrawal

AGENCY: Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, 
Justice.

ACTION: Withdrawal of proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Justice Programs (``OJP''), a bureau of the 
Department of Justice and the component under which the Office for 
Victims of Crime (``OVC'') resides, is withdrawing a proposed rule that 
was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2024, which 
proposed to add a subpart to its regulations to replace the existing 
Victim Compensation Program Guidelines under the Victims of Crime Act, 
and update and codify requirements for that Program.

DATES: As of January 6, 2025, the proposed rule that was published in 
the Federal Register on February 5, 2024 (89 FR 7639), is withdrawn.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathrina Peterson, Senior Policy 
Advisor, Office for Victims of Crime at (202) 616-3579 (please note 
that this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Victim Compensation Program is 
authorized by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, 34 U.S.C. 20102, and 
supports an annual grant to each state and several territories to 
support their victim compensation programs. On February 5, 2024, the 
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) published a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register proposing to add a subpart to 
its regulations to replace the existing Victim Compensation Program 
Guidelines, published on May 16, 2001, at 66 FR 27158, and update and 
codify requirements for that Program. In response to the NPRM, OJP 
received several thousand comments on the proposed rule.
    In light of the diversity and abundance of feedback received in 
response to the NPRM, OJP has identified the need for additional 
consideration of topics addressed in this rulemaking. Given the scope 
of comments and the limited time remaining in the current 
Administration, OJP has decided to withdraw the NPRM and terminate the 
rulemaking, leaving the existing Victim Compensation Program Guidelines 
in place, and ensuring that the agency can benefit from the latest 
information on these issues when exploring options with stakeholders in 
the future.
    OJP does not intend to issue a final rule based on this published 
NPRM. Despite the decision not to move forward with the rule at this 
time, OJP and its component Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) are 
grateful for the effort, thought, and insights evident in the comments 
on the proposed rule, especially those provided by crime victims and 
survivors who shared their personal stories and perspectives. OJP and 
OVC will continue engaging with their stakeholders as they undertake 
the work of enhancing care and expanding access to compensation for all 
victims of crime. In the event OJP and OVC may ultimately conclude that 
a new rulemaking action would be appropriate, a new NPRM would be 
published in the Federal Register at that time.

Brent J. Cohen,
Acting Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs.
[FR Doc. 2024-31012 Filed 1-3-25; 8:45 am]
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