[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 59 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 59

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 9, 2009

    Mr. Stupak 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   (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 
within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. A victim of a crime of violence, as these terms may be 
defined by law, shall have the rights:
            ``to reasonable notice of, and not to be excluded from, any 
        public proceedings relating to the crime;
            ``to be heard, if present, and to submit a statement at all 
        such proceedings to determine a conditional release from 
        custody, an acceptance of a negotiated plea, or a sentence;
            ``to the foregoing rights at a parole proceeding that is 
        not public, to the extent those rights are afforded to the 
        convicted offender;
            ``to reasonable notice of and an opportunity to submit a 
        statement concerning any proposed pardon or commutation of a 
        sentence;
            ``to reasonable notice of a release or escape from custody 
        relating to the crime;
            ``to consideration of the interest of the victim that any 
        trial be free from unreasonable delay;
            ``to an order of restitution from the convicted offender;
            ``to consideration for the safety of the victim in 
        determining any conditional release from custody relating to 
        the crime; and
            ``to reasonable notice of the rights established by this 
        article.
    ``Section 2. Only the victim or the victim's lawful representative 
shall have standing to assert the rights established by this article. 
Nothing in this article shall provide grounds to stay or continue any 
trial, reopen any proceeding or invalidate any ruling, except with 
respect to conditional release or restitution or to provide rights 
guaranteed by this article in future proceedings, without staying or 
continuing a trial. Nothing in this article shall give rise to or 
authorize the creation of a claim for damages against the United 
States, a State, a political subdivision, or a public officer or 
employee.
    ``Section 3. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this 
article by appropriate legislation. Exceptions to the rights 
established by this article may be created only when necessary to 
achieve a compelling interest.
    ``Section 4. This article shall take effect on the 180th day after 
the ratification of this article. The right to an order of restitution 
established by this article shall not apply to crimes committed before 
the effective date of this article.
    ``Section 5. The rights and immunities established by this article 
shall apply in Federal and State proceedings, including military 
proceedings to the extent that the Congress may provide by law, 
juvenile justice proceedings, and proceedings in the District of 
Columbia and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United 
States.''.
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