Marsy’s law crime victim protections approved in 6 states News
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Marsy’s law crime victim protections approved in 6 states

Voters in six states, including Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina and Oklahoma, voted on Marsy’s law amendments, a model amendment that typically provides a set of constitutional protections for crime victims.

The model amendment includes provisions for the right to be notified about and present at proceedings against the perpetrator, the right to be involved in release and sentencing of the perpetrator, a right to be protected from the accused and a right to receive restitution. The model amendment also defines the term “victim” as including both those directly affected by the crime and any “spouse, parent, grandparent, child, sibling, grandchild, or guardian, and any person with a relationship to the victim that is substantially similar to a listed relationship.”

In Florida, the model amendment was included in Amendment 6, which not only contained the Marcy’s law amendment but also amendments to increase the judicial retirement age from 70 to 75 and another to prohibit state courts from deferring to an administrative agency’s interpretation of a state statute or rule. In Florida, a supermajority of the law was required to pass. The Florida amendment passed with a total of 61.63 percent of the vote.

In Georgia, the model amendment was on the ballot as Amendment 4. The measure passed overwhelmingly. In Kentucky, the measure received the required majority vote. However, a federal judge issued a preemptive order blocking votes on the amendment from being certified and allowing the amendment through. The votes can be certified if the order is later reversed.

The model amendment was also approved in North Carolina, Oklahoma and Nevada.