[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 129 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 129

  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
                  protect the rights of crime victims.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 16, 1998

Mr. Paul introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred 
                   to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
                  protect the rights of crime victims.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That the following article is 
proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, 
which shall be valid for all intents and purposes as part of the 
Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the 
several States within 7 years from the date of its submission by the 
Congress:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. Each victim of a crime of violence shall have the 
rights--
            ``(1) to reasonable notice of, and not to be excluded from, 
        all public proceedings relating to the crime--
            ``(2) to be heard, if present, and to submit a statement, 
        at all public proceedings to determine a release from custody, 
        an acceptance of a negotiated plea, or a sentence;
            ``(3) to the foregoing rights at a parole proceeding that 
        is not public, to the extent those rights are afforded to the 
        convicted offender;
            ``(4) to reasonable notice of a release or escape from 
        custody relating to the crime;
            ``(5) to consideration for the interest of the victim in a 
        trial free from unreasonable delay;
            ``(6) to an order of restitution from the convicted 
        offender;
            ``(7) to consideration for the safety of the victim in 
        determining any release from custody; and
            ``(8) to reasonable notice of the rights established by 
        this article.
    ``Section 2. Only the victim or the victim's representative shall 
have standing to assert the rights established by this article.
    ``Section 3. Congress shall have power to implement and enforce 
this article by appropriate legislation.
    ``Section 4. The rights established by this article shall apply to 
all proceedings that begin on or after the 180th day after the 
ratification of this article.
    ``Section 5. The rights established by this article shall apply in 
all Federal proceedings, including military proceedings to the extent 
that Congress may provide by law, juvenile justice proceedings, and 
proceedings in any district or territory of the United States not 
within a State.''.
                                 <all>