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8 <br /> <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Price to 1 <br />approve the resolution. 2 <br /> 3 <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS 4 <br /> 5 <br />d. Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to Victims 6 <br />The Board approved a Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to 7 <br />Victims and authorized the Chair to sign the Resolution. 8 <br /> 9 <br />BACKGROUND: At the March 8, 2018 Board meeting, the Board voiced an interest in 10 <br />considering a Resolution in Support of Better Protections and Safeguards to Victims. 11 <br />Commissioner Renee Price drafted the attached resolution. 12 <br /> 13 <br />According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) recent report, “Crime in the United 14 <br />States”, in 2013, a total of 33,700 North Carolinians were the victims of Violent “Index Crimes” 15 <br />including: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft and 16 <br />arson. 17 <br /> 18 <br />Voters in California passed the Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008, also known as Marsy’s Law, 19 <br />and other states are enacting similar laws to guarantee victims’ rights and provide victims with a 20 <br />voice. 21 <br /> 22 <br />House Bill 551/Senate Bill 595, a bill to amend the Law and Constitution of North Carolina, has 23 <br />been introduced in the North Carolina General Assembly in the spirit of Marsy’s Law to provide 24 <br />better protections and safeguards to victims of crimes. 25 <br /> 26 <br /> Commissioner Price read the resolution: 27 <br />RES-2018-019 28 <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 29 <br />RESOLUTION 30 <br />IN SUPPORT OF BETTER PROTECTIONS AND SAFEGUARDS TO VICTIMS 31 <br /> 32 <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law For North Carolina and advocacy organizations statewide are 33 <br />dedicated to guaranteeing victims’ rights and providing a voice; and 34 <br /> 35 <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law For North Carolina supporters agree that victims should 36 <br />always be treated with fairness and respect throughout the criminal justice process, protected 37 <br />from the defendant, reasonably heard at public proceedings regarding their case, and given a 38 <br />voice through the process of the case; and 39 <br /> 40 <br />WHEREAS, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) recent report, 41 <br />“Crime in the United States”, in 2013, a total of 33,700 North Carolinians were the victims of 42 <br />Violent “Index Crimes” including: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, 43 <br />motor vehicle theft and arson; and 44 <br /> 45 <br />WHEREAS, Marsy’s Law for North Carolina will ensure that victims receive the same 46 <br />rights that are afforded to criminals, and have rights to notification of release, hearings, 47 <br />appropriate restitution and the right to speak during criminal proceedings; and 48 <br /> 49 <br />WHEREAS, voters in California passed the Victim’s Bill of Rights Act of 2008 50 <br />[Proposition 9], also known as Marsy’s Law, and other states are enacting similar laws; and 51