Illinois voters have approved a constitutional amendment affording crime victims more rights during criminal prosecutions.
The Crime Victims' Bill of Rights would ensure that victims receive necessary information about court proceedings, including hearings and plea negotiations. It would ensure access to information about seeking restitution and staying safe around alleged perpetrators.
The proposal had the backing of Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan and was pushed by prominent victims' rights advocate Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins.
The vote to put it on the ballot brought just two "no" votes in the House. They came from prominent Democratic lawmakers who feared for the Illinois Constitution's integrity and that the measure might tip the balance against criminal suspects' rights.
The proposal was patterned after the 2008 "Marsy's Law" in California following a college student's murder.
