Legislation sponsored and supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance.
H.1458/S.944 An Act to enhance the rights of crime victims in the commonwealth
Sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Decker and Sen. Julian Cyr
Clarifies and revises the current language in the Victim Bill of Rights (M.G.L. Chapter 258B) to address unfulfilled commitments, codifies practices by criminal justice agencies that have evolved since the statute was created in 1984, and adds new rights to the Bill of Rights that reflect the needs of crime victims today, including:
- Improved notification to victims throughout criminal justice agencies
- Increased access to victim services to crime victims and families when indictments are not issued
- Strengthened practice and purpose of victim impact statements in the court system
- Enhanced cooperation between law enforcement, judicial system, and post-conviction agencies
- The Victim Bill of Rights, enacted in 1983, created the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA), the country’s first independent state victim assistance agency.
H.1447/S.995 An Act relative to modernize the roles and responsibilities of the Victim and Witness Assistance Board
Sponsored by Rep. Michael Day and Sen. Adam Gomez
Amends MOVA’s enacting statute to better reflect the work that the Victim and Witness Assistance Board does to serve victims of crime. This bill is meant to codify existing practices and serve as a blueprint for the future leadership of MOVA to be reflective of our role in administering grant funding, providing education and training, leading policy development, and providing administration and oversight of both the Garden of Peace and the SAFEPLAN program. Technical amendments offer updates to account for digital access of materials and diverse language needs.
H.2862/S.1829 An Act to ensure timely restitution payments to victims of crime
Sponsored by Rep. Meghan Kilcoyne and Sen. Anne Gobi
Establishes wage garnishment program under the Department of Revenue (DOR) to ensure payment of restitution by offenders. Under the Victim Bill of Rights, victims have the right to request restitution payments in order to compensate for losses suffered as a result of a crime. While restitution may be ordered as part of a sentence, there are currently no mechanisms to ensure that payment is made to victims or survivors.
H.2634/S.1739 An Act relative to victim witness advocate retirement classification
Sponsored by Rep. Ted Philips and Sen. Walter Timilty
Reclassifies victim witness advocates, as defined in M.G.L. Chapter 258B,§1, to group 2 status in order to further professionalize the field, reduce staff turnover, and put advocates in the same professional classification as similar court employees.