Marsy’s Law has made it out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and the constitutional amendment legislation to create a crime victims’ bill of rights now awaits a full Senate vote.
Senator Whitney Westerfield of Christian County is again sponsoring the bill and is pleased with the bi-partisan support it has received.
Kentucky is one of 15 states in the nation without constitutional-level rights for victims of crimes and Senate Bill 15 would change that. It would ensure crime victims have the right to notice of court proceedings, the right to be present in court proceedings, the right for victims to have a voice throughout the legal process, and the right to be made aware of any changes in their offenders’ custodial status.
This year’s version of the bill also ensures victims or a victim’s family is consulted and notified when a governor issues a pardon or commutation and Westerfield says that addition has been popular.
A similar bill passed last year and voters approved it on the November ballot, but the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled the wording of the ballot question wasn’t proper and threw out the measure.
The new bill would word the ballot question the way the Supreme Court desires.