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A Bill Of Rights For Crime Victims Is One Step Closer To Making It On The Ohio Ballot This Fall

Dan Konik
Petitions that were submitted early Thursday

A group that wants a bill of victim rights in Ohio has submitted signatures to put the issue on the ballot this fall. 

Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment to establish a bill of rights for crime victims have filed 560,000 petitions for this fall’s ballot. That's nearly twice the number of signatures the group needs. The group's Cathy Harper Lee says if voters approve it, Ohio will have its own version of what's called "Marsy’s Law" - named for a California woman killed by her ex-boyfriend 33 years ago.

“It will ensure that all crime victims receive notification of hearings, that they can participate in hearings, that they have the right to restitution and most importantly, that when their rights are violated, they will have a mechanism to enforce those rights.”

But critics in the criminal justice field say they're worried the law could be unconstitutional.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.
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