SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – Monday is a special anniversary for victims’ advocates in Illinois. On November 4, 2014, Illinois voters amended the state constitution to enshrine a new package of rights for victims and their families, known as Marsy’s Law.

“We need to make sure that every victim and survivor is heard, no matter what they look like, no matter what language they speak, no matter where they come from,” said Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Reinhart.

He said Marsy’s Law establishes a culture of making victims’ rights a priority.

“As the rules went into effect, the culture starts to evolve even more, right? As we train prosecutors and victim specialists over and over again on this,” Reinhart said.

Marsy’s Law has three central principles:

• Victims must be informed of their rights.
• They have the right to make a statement in open court before the defendant is sentenced.
• They have the right to be notified of public proceedings as well as updates on the defendant’s condition after trial, which includes when they are released from jail or prison.

“Marsy’s Law gave victims explicit legal standing to assert their victims’ rights, which is key to empowering them in a system where they otherwise have limited control,” said Carrie Ward, CEO of the Illinois Coalition against sexual assault.

She said survivors should always be part of the justice system, but Marsy’s Law brought their rights to the forefront and fundamentally changed the way they navigate the system.

“This is an impact that will last far longer than the 10 years we are celebrating today,” she said. “We are thankful for Marsy’s Law here in Illinois. We are grateful for the positive impact it is having on the lives of survivors.”

Marsy’s Law was first passed in California in 2008. Since then, it has been passed in several states. Illinois voters passed it in 2014 with more than 78 percent of the vote.

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