A bill that would open up victim assistance funding for more people escaping from polygamy passed easily in the Utah House on Monday and is bound for the Senate.
Money from the crime victims reparation fund can cover the costs of medical treatment, mental-health services and child-care expenses, explained the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Kyle Andersen. Victims can use the aid to meet their immediate needs and get back on their feet in the aftermath of a crime.
“We are not saying we are coming down harder on polygamy. What we are saying is, we want to help people who are trying to flee the abuses of it,” he said.