President Joe Biden recently signed into law a bipartisan bill cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that ensures the representatives of crime victims receive restitution for their services.
“Under federal law, those convicted of certain crimes are required to pay restitution to their victims, helping cover necessary expenses such as medical care,” Sen. Blackburn said on Tuesday. “However, that is not the case for a person assuming the rights of a victim who is a minor, deceased, or unable to act for themselves.
“This is important legislation that ensures all victims receive the justice they deserve,” added the senator, who on Jan. 31 introduced the Victims’ Voices Outside and Inside the Courtroom Effectiveness Act, also known as the Victims’ VOICES Act, S. 3706, which Biden signed into law on July 30.
Currently, in many jurisdictions, individuals acting on a victim’s behalf have been precluded from receiving restitution for related costs including transportation, lost income, and childcare that they incur, imposing a hardship on the victim’s representative, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.
S. 3706, which U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) sponsored and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also cosponsored alongside Sen. Blackburn, ensures that family members, legal guardians, and those appointed by the court who act on behalf of a victim during certain criminal court case proceedings receive restitution from convicted defendants for such costs.
The new law amends existing law to clarify that a person who acts on behalf of a victim is eligible to receive restitution for the expenses associated with participating in the investigation or prosecution of the offense, attending related court proceedings, or transporting a victim to receive medical, therapy, rehabilitation, or other services, the summary says.
The bill gained support from several organizations, including the National District Attorneys Association, the National Children’s Alliance, Major County Sheriffs of America, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, the National Native American Law Enforcement Association, and the National Organization for Victim Advocacy.