Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026
Introduced February 3, 2026 · Last action February 3, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill reauthorizes and expands the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), increasing federal funding for domestic violence, dating violence, and family violence services from 2027-2031. It adds new grant programs for underserved populations, creates a national Indian domestic violence hotline, establishes culturally specific service grants, and requires trauma-informed, accessible services including digital offerings. The bill also strengthens civil rights protections and eliminates income eligibility requirements for victims receiving services.
Who benefits
Adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence; underserved racial and ethnic populations experiencing violence; Indian Tribes, Alaska Native organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations; persons with disabilities; LGBTQ+ individuals; victims with limited English proficiency; domestic violence service providers and shelters; State and Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions; nonprofits serving underserved populations; community-based organizations providing culturally specific services; prevention organizations and faith-based programs; disability service organizations partnering with violence prevention programs; technical assistance and training centers serving violence prevention providers; national hotline operators and digital service providers.
Who pays / loses
Federal government appropriates funds (taxpayers bear indirect cost); grant recipients must meet compliance requirements and nondiscrimination standards; entities previously charging fees for services must eliminate them; programs must invest in accessibility and digital service infrastructure; states and tribes must allocate at least 70% of formula grant funds to local providers rather than administrative costs; for-profit entities are excluded from some grant categories (culturally specific and underserved population grants require nonprofit status); organizations without documented domestic violence experience must partner with experienced providers to access certain funds.
Fiscal note: $270 million annually for fiscal years 2027-2031 for core FVPSA programs (Sections 301-312, 313C); $20.5 million annually (2027-2031) for National Domestic Violence Hotline; $4 million annually (2027-2031) for National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline; $26 million annually (2027-2031) for Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership; $10 million annually (2027-2031) for Grants for Underserved Populations; $5 million annually (2027-2031) additional for Culturally Specific Services; $3.5 million annually (2027-2031) for program evaluation; $10 million annually (2027-2031) for teen dating violence prevention demonstration projects.
Funding & Lobbying Interests
Domestic violence shelter operators and service providers (domestic violence coalitions); organizations serving underserved populations including racial and ethnic minorities, immigrant communities, tribal nations, LGBTQ+ groups, and persons with disabilities; nonprofit hotline operators and digital service providers; technical assistance and training center providers; state and tribal government agencies administering violence prevention grants; community-based prevention organizations; faith-based organizations engaged in violence prevention; disability rights organizations; youth and early childhood program providers; health care organizations providing trauma-informed services. The bill's expansion reflects organized advocacy by national domestic violence coalitions, tribal leadership organizations, underserved population advocates, and disability rights groups seeking dedicated funding streams and accessibility requirements.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
Primary beneficiaries: estimated 10+ million Americans experiencing intimate partner violence annually (per CDC data on current prevalence); American Indian and Alaska Native women (who experience violence at rates 1.5x higher than other populations); underserved racial and ethnic populations with documented barriers to service access; immigrant and limited-English-proficient victims; youth ages 12-24 experiencing dating violence; persons with disabilities; LGBTQ+ individuals; economically disadvantaged individuals (service fees eliminated); children exposed to family violence. Affected service systems: domestic violence shelter providers; state and tribal government violence prevention programs; health care systems; child protective services; law enforcement agencies; education systems; workforce development programs. The bill specifically names underserved populations including those identified in VAWA 1994 legislative record as having disproportionate barriers to access.
Political Subtext
Proponents argue this bill modernizes federal domestic violence funding by increasing resources, adding dedicated streams for underserved populations, requiring trauma-informed and accessible services, and strengthening tribal sovereignty. They contend expansion is necessary because current funding has not kept pace with demand, rural and underserved communities face service gaps, and digital access is critical post-pandemic. Critics may argue the bill increases federal spending, creates administrative complexity through multiple grant programs, and mandates accessibility requirements that increase provider costs. Non-partisan evidence supports increased service demand exceeding current funding (national domestic violence organization data); research documents barriers for underserved populations accessing mainstream services (academic consensus); and evidence supports trauma-informed approaches and culturally specific interventions (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration guidance). The bill's emphasis on data collection and evaluation aligns with evidence-based policy trends.
Real-World Stakes
Passage would increase shelter bed capacity, counseling services, and prevention programming in all 50 states plus territories and tribal jurisdictions. Comparable state-level expansions (e.g., California's 2015 increase in domestic violence funding) documented increases in shelter utilization, longer service provision duration, and expanded prevention programming within 2-3 years. Dedicated tribal funding (Section 311A) parallels successes of VAWA tribal grant programs (established 1994, expanded 2005, 2013) which funded tribal legal systems and shelters in Indian country. Creation of Indian hotline mirrors existing tribal-specific health and legal service hotlines showing high utilization among geographically dispersed populations. Underserved population grant stream (313B) builds on Violence Against Women Act's population-specific services grants (established 2000), which documented improved access metrics for immigrant, LGBTQ+, and rural populations. Mandatory accessibility features reflect ADA Title II requirements (already binding on state/local programs); digital service requirements follow COVID-era expansion of telehealth in domestic violence programs (effective practice documented by National Domestic Violence Hotline operational data). Waiver of matching requirements for hardship cases addresses documented barrier: rural and tribal providers frequently lack matching funds, limiting grant access. Teen dating violence prevention funding (Title II) continues programs established under FYSA 2010; research shows evidence-informed prevention reduces dating violence perpetration risk factors when implemented in schools and youth organizations.
Sponsor
Sponsor information not available.
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
No campaign finance data available yet.
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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