State Senator Whitney Westerfield has again filed Marsy’s Law—legislation that would create a crime victims’ bill of rights in Kentucky.
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.
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 and it includes new provisions that would give crime victims notification when a governor issues a pardon or commutation.
If the legislation is approved again, the constitutional amendment would appear in the form of a ballot question on the 2020 general election ballot.