§ 71-6-303 — Powers and duties of department

In administrating these programs, the department: (1) Shall establish an advisory committee, which shall review all program criteria adopted by the department and advise the commissioner relative to the allocation of funds under this part. The committee shall consist of five (5) members, one (1) of whom should be a former client of a sexual assault program. Three (3) of the committee members shall be appointed by the commissioner of the department with consent and approval of the governor. Two (2) of the advisory committee members shall be appointed by the governor from among persons recommended by the Tennessee coalition against domestic and sexual violence. Each committee member shall be selected for a four-year term and may be selected to serve successive terms. Committee members shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses in attending meetings, with travel expenses to be reimbursed in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter; (2) May not disburse more than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) from state funds provided under this part to any one (1) sexual assault program in one (1) fiscal year in order to assure that funds are distributed statewide, unless the department finds that exceeding the fifty thousand dollar ($50,000) guideline is warranted by the availability of funds, the area served by the provider, or the best interests of the citizens served by the program; (3) Shall accept any federal funds that may be available for use in carrying out this part and may use state funds, in addition to the funds allocated under this part, as matching funds for federal funds if matching funds are required; (4) May expend only those actual amounts, including travel expenses for advisory committee members, reasonably necessary for administration of the funds provided under this part; (5) Shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, necessary to carry out the purposes of this part related to the programs under its jurisdiction. The department shall, upon recommendation of its advisory committee, establish standards for operation of the services including establishment of a timetable for application and disbursement of funds; and (6) Shall require an annual report from each service funded, which shall include, in addition to all information required by the department, statistics on the number of persons requesting service, the number of persons served, the type of service rendered and a description of the social and economic characteristics of the person served and the number and type of referrals, including medical, legal, and educational services, made to other community resources. No information contained in the report shall identify any person served or enable any person to determine the identity of such a person.

Legislative History

Acts 2003, ch. 304, § 2.