COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A proposed amendment to Ohio’s constitution that would give crime victims and their families the same rights as the accused has cleared its initial hurdle.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified the petition presented by the Ohio Crime Victim Justice Center on Friday. Its next stop is the state Ballot Board.
The proposal would require that crime victims be notified of all court proceedings and be heard at each step along the way.
The amendment is proposed for the November ballot. It would also give victims input on plea deals and declare that full and timely restitution is a right.
The amendment, dubbed Marsy’s Law for Ohio, is named for a California woman killed in 1983 by her ex-boyfriend after he was released from jail without notification to her.
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