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3 <br /> <br /> <br />a. Resolution To Oppose Marsy’s Law Constitutional Amendment <br />The Board considered approving a resolution opposing Marsy’s Law Constitutional <br />Amendment, and authorizing the Chair to sign. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />On March 20, 2018 the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution in support <br />of Marsy’s Law. This proposal is now on the November 2018 ballot as a constitutional <br />amendment, and is part of a broader campaign to amend the North Carolina Constitution. <br />The attached draft resolution provides the opportunity to rescind the resolution adopted on <br />March 20, 2018, as well as formally express opposition to the Marsy’s Law / Crime Victims’ <br />Amendment constitutional referendum. <br /> <br />Commissioner Rich read the resolution: <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE MARSY’S LAW CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in March 2018 the Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution in <br />support of Marsy’s Law, which is now on the November 2018 ballot as a constitutional <br />amendment; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, since that time, this amendment has become part of a broader campaign to amend <br />the North Carolina Constitution to fundamentally undermine the separation of powers and core <br />democratic principles; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, while we are committed to supporting victims and their families and believe they <br />deserve dignity and respect, further analysis of this amendment reveals that it will violate due <br />process rights, unnecessarily restrict and delay criminal proceedings, undercut diversion <br />programs and other efforts to reduce incarceration rates in our community, and significantly <br />increase costs for our criminal justice system; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, North Carolina already has statutory and constitutional protections for crime <br />victims, and that those victims would be better served by increased State resources for existing <br />victims’ support programs, domestic violence shelters, and effective diversion, counseling, and <br />re-entry programs, rather that this unnecessary and misleading amendment; <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of Commissioners doe <br />hereby rescind the resolution adopted on March 20, 2018; and <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners is opposed to <br />the Marsy’s Law / Crime Victims’ Amendment constitutional referendum, and encourages all <br />residents of Orange County North Carolina to also oppose this misguided and harmful <br />amendment. <br /> <br />This the 1st day of November, 2018. <br /> <br /> A motion was made by Commissioner Price, seconded by Commissioner Marcoplos for <br />the Board to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the attached resolution. <br />