Legislation that would expand the right of crime victims to be informed of trial and sentencing hearings in their cases cleared the state Senate unanimously Tuesday, Feb. 6.
Sponsored by Senate Republican Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, Senate Bill 5635 would allow victims to present a statement at sentencing hearings. The bill would require victim safety to be given greater consideration for bail, and would require victims or their survivors to be notified of an offender's place in incarceration, their release date and if they’ve escaped.
“With crime at record levels, victims of crime — or their survivors — need assurance that their rights, security and safety are taken seriously,” Braun said in a statement. “They should have the opportunity to speak to the court, and their safety must be considered when determining bail for their offender. These seem like basic rights, but they are important for victims. They are a big step forward. This bill places a higher priority on the rights of those an offender has harmed. That’s the balance our courts have been missing.”
According to Braun, the bill also includes the state Legislature’s intent to provide sufficient funding to the Office of Crime Victims Advocacy for “crime victim advocates and prosecutors in their work to ensure the rights granted to victims, survivors of victims, and witnesses of crimes are protected.”
The bill unanimously cleared the Senate on Tuesday, and will now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.
