Legal assistance for victims

The purpose of this section is to enable the Attorney General to award grants to increase the availability of civil and criminal legal assistance necessary to provide effective aid to adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault who are seeking relief in legal matters relating to or arising out of that abuse or violence, at minimal or no cost to the victims. When legal assistance to a dependent is necessary for the safety of a victim, such assistance may be provided. Criminal legal assistance provided for under this section shall be limited to criminal matters relating to or arising out of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. In this section, the definitions and grant conditions provided in section 12291 of this title shall apply. The Attorney General may award grants under this subsection to private nonprofit entities, Indian tribal governments and tribal organizations, territorial organizations, and publicly funded organizations not acting in a governmental capacity such as law schools, and which shall be used— To be eligible for a grant under subsection (c), applicants shall certify in writing that— any person providing legal assistance through a program funded under this section— The Attorney General may evaluate the grants funded under this section through contracts or other arrangements with entities expert on domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault, and on evaluation research. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027. Of the amount made available under this subsection in each fiscal year, not less than 3 percent shall be used for grants for programs that assist adult and youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault on lands within the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe. Not less than 7 percent of the total amount available under this section for each fiscal year shall be available for grants under the program authorized by section 10452 of this title. The requirements of this section shall not apply to funds allocated for the program described in clause (i). Of the amount made available under this subsection in each fiscal year, not less than 25 percent shall be used for direct services, training, and technical assistance to support projects focused solely or primarily on providing legal assistance to victims of sexual assault. Amounts made available under this section shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, State, and local funds expended to further the purpose of this section.