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RES-2018-019 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />RESOLUTION <br />IN SUPPORT OF BETTER PROTECTIONS AND SAFEGUARDS TO <br />VICTIMS <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law For North Carolina and advocacy organizations statewide are <br />dedicated to guaranteeing victims’ rights and providing a voice; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law For North Carolina supporters agree that victims should always <br />be treated with fairness and respect throughout the criminal justice process, protected from <br />the defendant, reasonably heard at public proceedings regarding their case, and given a voice <br />through the process of the case; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) recent report, “Crime <br />in the United States”, in 2013, a total of 33,700 North Carolinians were the victims of <br />Violent “Index Crimes” including: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, <br />larceny, motor vehicle theft and arson; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law for North Carolina will ensure that victims receive the same <br />rights that are afforded to criminals, and have rights to notification of release, hearings, <br />appropriate restitution and the right to speak during criminal proceedings; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, voters in California passed the Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008 <br />[Proposition 9], also known as Marsy’s Law, and other states are enacting similar laws; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, victims’ rights is a non-partisan, non-political issue, and Marsy’s Law is one <br />approach to ensuring victims’ rights; <br /> <br />NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of <br />Commissioners does hereby stands in support of House Bill 551/Senate Bill 595, a bill to <br />amend the Law and Constitution of North Carolina to provide better protections and <br />safeguards to victims of crimes; and <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />encourages all residents of Orange County, North Carolina, to join in the commitment to <br />protect the rights of victims of crime in North Carolina. <br /> <br />This 20th day of March, 2018. <br /> <br />___________________________________ <br />Mark Dorosin, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> <br />3