25-1-107. Guidelines for advisory bodies.

25-1-107. Guidelines for advisory bodies. (a) Where advisory bodies are specified by state or federal legislation or guidelines to act in conjunction with the entity or organization designated to administer funds of the Victims of Crime Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 10601 — 10605, the STOP Violence Against Women Act, 42 U.S.C. § 13701, and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, 42 U.S.C. § 10401 et seq., the duties and protocol of those advisory bodies, as well as responsibilities of the state administrative agency, shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) After providing the opportunity for review and advice by the advisory bodies, the state administrative agency shall: (A) Establish a proposal activity calendar one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the start of the upcoming funding cycle; (B)(i) Establish procedures and dates for review of subgrant funding applications for each funding cycle. (ii) The state administrative agency shall provide copies of subgrant applications submitted for review to the chairperson of each relevant advisory body; (C) Establish, consistent with federal law, subgrant application forms; (D) Establish deadlines for receiving subgrant applications; (E) Establish dates of subgrant application technical assistance training sessions; (F) Establish subgrant applicant appeal process procedures; and (G) Develop a statewide victim service needs assessment and strategic plan for Victims of Crime Act, STOP Violence Against Women Act, and Family Violence Prevention and Services Act funds pursuant to applicable federal program guidelines; and (2) The state administrative agency shall meet with the relevant advisory bodies no later than thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled date of mailing of application forms for the purpose of providing an opportunity for review of the content of the application forms. The state administrative agency shall provide drafts of all necessary subgrant application forms to the chairperson of the relevant advisory boards prior to such a meeting. (b) The state administrative agency shall make available to members of the advisory bodies, upon request, copies of current federal and state law and guidelines concerning the relevant Victims of Crime Act, STOP Violence Against Women Act, and Family Violence Prevention and Services Act programs, including any formal interpretations of such law and guidelines by the state administrative agency. (c) Any copies of forms, laws, guidelines, or interpretations required to be furnished by the state administrative agency must be made available on computer diskette or other requested electronic media if the requested item is feasibly able to be produced in the requested manner. (d) The state administrative agency shall provide quarterly reports concerning subgrantee and administrative financial activity to the Governor and to the chairperson of each advisory body within ten (10) working days of the completion of the reports. (e) Within one hundred twenty (120) days following the start of a subgrant funding cycle, the state administrative agency shall meet with focus groups made up of those programs that or individuals who applied for funds through the Victims of Crime Act, STOP Violence Against Women Act, or Family Violence Prevention and Services Act grant programs in the most recent funding cycle. These meetings are for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness and responsiveness of the application, application review, and funding recommendation process in order to maintain the integrity of those processes. The state administrative agency shall provide reports of these meetings to the Governor and to the chairperson of each advisory body within ten (10) working days of the completion of the meetings.