H-2806.1  _______________________________________________

                ENGROSSED HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4020

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Ballasiotes, Costa, Radcliff, Cole, Hankins, Quall, Skinner, Morris, Thompson, Poulsen, Kenney, DeBolt, Conway, Mason, Benson, Cooper, Delvin, Blalock, Honeyford, Dunshee, Van Luven, Zellinsky, Mulliken, Alexander, Scott, L. Thomas, Clements, Parlette, Mastin, Chandler, Schoesler, Robertson and Linville

Read first time 03/15/97.  Referred to Committee on .

Requesting Congress adopt the proposed victims' rights amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, In applying and interpreting the vital guarantees of the United States Constitution that protects the liberties of all citizens, the criminal justice system has lost an essential balance; and

    WHEREAS, One violent crime is committed in America every sixteen seconds; and

    WHEREAS, The criminal justice system has not provided sufficient protection or representation of the innocent, the honest, and the helpless victims of crime; and

    WHEREAS, With over thirty-five million Americans victimized in the United States each year, crime victims are rapidly becoming a majority; and

    WHEREAS, Crime victims play an indispensable role in bringing offenders to justice, thus preventing further violence; and

    WHEREAS, As a nation devoted to freedom, liberty, and justice for all, Americans must plant the seeds of justice to restore and protect the rights of those who have been criminally victimized; and

    WHEREAS, Harvesting justice over the last two decades has been accomplished in part by the millions of survivors of criminal acts, their families, and advocates whose commitment and spirit has persevered while confronting an increasingly violent nation; and

    WHEREAS, In 1982, the President's Task Force on Victims of Crime recommended an amendment to the Constitution of the United States addressing victims' rights; and

    WHEREAS, In 1989, the citizens of Washington State adopted an amendment to the state Constitution granting basic and fundamental rights to the victims and families of victims of felony crimes; and

    WHEREAS, Under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, amendments to the Constitution of the United States may be proposed by the Congress of the United States or, upon the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, the Congress shall call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing amendments; and

    WHEREAS, There is currently before the Congress for consideration a proposed victims' rights amendment to the Constitution of the United States;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists, respectfully request that the Congress adopt the proposed victims' rights amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and that the amendment be submitted to the states for ratification.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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