Crime victim bill gets hearing
Crime victim bill gets hearing A bill that would require judges to inform crime victims about their statutory and constitutional rights passed the House Judicial Oversight Committee in February by unanimous vote.HB 1209, sponsored by Reps. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, and Mitch Needelman, R-Palm Bay, has also been referred to the Crime Prevention, Corrections and Safety Committee and the Council for Smarter Government.A court conducting arraignment, sentencing, or a case management hearing would be required by the bill to announce a specific advisement to a crime victim listing seven rights: to be informed; to be present; to be heard, when relevant, at all crucial stages of criminal proceedings to the extent that these rights do not interfere with the constitutional rights of the accused; to receive advance notification, when possible, of judicial proceedings and notification of scheduling changes; to seek crimes compensation and restitution; to consult with the state attorney’s office in certain felony cases regarding the disposition of the case; and to make an oral or written victim-impact statement at the time of sentencing a defendant.A strike-all amendment included a provision specifying that the advisory is “only for the benefit of crime victims” and the failure of a judge to advise a victim “shall not affect the validity of any hearing, conviction, or sentence.”Representatives from the Governor’s legal office, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and the Florida Network of Victim Witness Services spoke in favor of the bill.The Senate version of the bill, sponsored by Sen. Victor Crist, R-Tampa, passed unanimously through the Criminal Justice committee as a committee substitute and will be heard in the Judiciary and Rules and Calendar committees before reaching the full Senate. Crime victim bill gets hearing
March 1, 2002 Regular News