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                                         SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8200

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State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Pullen, Talmadge, Thorsness, Newhouse, Madsen, Rasmussen, Benitz and Nelson; by request of Attorney General

Read first time 1/11/89 and referred to Committee on Law & Justice.

BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION ASSEMBLED:

          THAT, At the next general election to be held in this state there shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the state for their approval and ratification, or rejection, an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of the state of Washington by adding a new section to read as follows:

Article I, section ....             Effective law enforcement depends on cooperation from victims of crime.  To ensure victims a meaningful role in the criminal justice system and to accord them due dignity and respect, victims of crime are hereby granted the following basic and fundamental rights.

          Upon notifying the prosecuting attorney, a victim of a felony or the victim's representative shall have the right to be informed of, to be present at, and to make a statement at all significant criminal judicial proceedings, subject to the same rules of procedure which govern the defendant's rights.  The legislature may define significant judicial proceedings for purposes of this section.  This provision shall not constitute a basis for error in favor of a defendant in a criminal proceeding nor a basis for providing a victim or survivor with court appointed counsel.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the secretary of state shall cause notice of the foregoing constitutional amendment to be published at least four times during the four weeks next preceding the election in every legal newspaper in the state.