President Joe Biden recently signed the Victims’ Voices Outside and Inside the Courtroom Effectiveness (Victims’ VOICES) Act into law, which was sponsored by Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
The Victims’ VOICES Act 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 bill, S.3706, was filed by Texas U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and co-sponsored by Senators Blackburn, Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The sponsors say the bill works to ensure “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 costs like transportation, lost income, and childcare that they incur.”
Organizations that endorsed the bill included the National District Attorneys Association, Raven, National Children’s Alliance, Major County Sheriffs of America, the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), National Native American Law Enforcement Association, and the National Organization for Victim Advocacy (NOVA).
The bill was signed into law on July 30 by President Biden, the White House announced.
Blackburn applauded the president’s approval of the bill, which the senator called “important legislation that ensures all victims receive the justice they deserve.”
“Under federal law, those convicted of certain crimes are required to pay restitution to their victims – helping cover necessary expenses such as medical care. 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,” Blackburn said.
Cornyn also released a statement on the president’s approval of the bill, saying, “Family members of violent crime victims, including children and those who have died, should be reimbursed for the financial burden they take on to achieve justice for their loved ones.”
“This legislation will make victims’ representatives whole by ensuring they receive restitution from convicted criminals, and I’m glad to see it become law,” Cornyn added.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
