Volume 106 · 3459
Public Law 102–527
To authorize the State Justice Institute to analyze and disseminate information regarding the admissibility and quality of testimony of witnesses with expertise relating to battered women, and to develop and disseminate training materials to increase the use of such experts to provide testimony in criminal trials of battered women, particularly in cases involving indigent women.
Approved October 27, 1992
Statutory text
An Act
To authorize the State Justice Institute to analyze and disseminate information regarding the admissibility and quality of testimony of witnesses with expertise relating to battered women, and to develop and disseminate training materials to increase the use of such experts to provide testimony in criminal trials of battered women, particularly in cases involving indigent women.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Battered Women’s Testimony Act of 1992”.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY OF STATE JUSTICE INSTITUTE.
The State Justice Institute shall—
collect nationwide and analyze information regarding—
the admissibility and quality of expert testimony on the experiences of battered women offered as part of the defense in criminal cases under State law, and
sources of, and methods to obtain, funds to pay costs incurred to provide such testimony, particularly in cases involving indigent women defendants,
develop training materials to assist—
battered women, operators of domestic violence shelters, battered women’s advocates, and attorneys to use such expert testimony in appropriate cases, particularly appropriate cases involving indigent women defendants, and
individuals with expertise in the experiences of battered women to develop skills appropriate to providing such expert testimony, and
disseminate such information and such training materials, and provide related technical assistance, to battered women, such operators, such advocates, such attorneys, and such individuals.
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
For purposes of this Act—
subsections (d) and (e) of section 206 of the State Justice Institute Act of 1984, and
subsections (a) and (b) of section 207 of such Act, shall apply in the same manner as such subsections apply with respect to grants and contracts made under such Act.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated $600,000 to carry out this Act.
Approved October 27, 1992.