Reps. Van Regenmorter, Accavitti, Anderson, Ball, Baxter, Bieda, Booher, Brown, Byrum, Casperson, Caul, Clack, Condino, Elsenheimer, Emmons, Farhat, Gillard, Gleason, Gosselin, Hildenbrand, Hopgood, Hummel, Jones, Kolb, LaJoy, David Law, Leland, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Marleau, Mayes, McDowell, Meyer, Moore, Mortimer, Newell, Nofs, Palmer, Pearce, Polidori, Proos, Rocca, Sak, Sheen, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Stahl, Steil, Taub, Vander Veen and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 242.

A resolution commemorating April 23 - 29, 2006, as Crime Victims’ Rights Week in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, With the implementation of The Crime Victim Rights Act in 1985 and the passage of the Constitutional Amendment in 1988, crime victims in Michigan enjoy some of the most comprehensive, constitutionally guaranteed rights in the nation.  We celebrate the fact that victims in Michigan have been an integral part of the delivery of justice for the past 21 years.  Communities throughout the state are unified in their efforts to assist victims in their recovery from the aftermath of crime; and

Whereas, The support groups that have arisen are many and varied.  They range from volunteers coordinated by county sheriff offices to assist victims of crime at the very first moment a crime has occurred, to the motivated and concerned individuals in each county prosecutor’s office who ensure victims are afforded their rights throughout criminal justice process, to the advocates within the Michigan Department of Corrections who ensure continued implementation of victims' rights throughout the incarceration period of the criminal defendant; and

Whereas, The existence of these groups, and the visibility of victims in the criminal justice process can be largely attributed to the Crime Victim Constitutional Amendment which was overwhelmingly approved by the voters of Michigan in 1988.  For 21 years, Michigan victims have been afforded a multitude of rights throughout the process.  The most important of these rights is that the victim is treated with fairness, respect, dignity, and privacy throughout the entire process.  The rights granted to victims have generated awareness throughout our state, making the important statement that the system created to address the wrong done to a victim does in fact include the victim, a facet of the process that was sadly missing prior to the passage of the Crime Victim Rights Act and Constitutional Amendment two decades ago; and

Whereas, The exchange of information and level of public awareness are the focus of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, and continue to serve as a driving force for changes in attitude and law in not only Michigan, but the entire country; now therefore, be it further

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body commemorate April 23 - 29, 2006, as Crime Victims' Rights Week in the state of Michigan.  We celebrate the 21st anniversary of victims' rights in Michigan; and be it further

Resolved, We will pay our respects to those who have been victimized by violent crime, as well as salute the many dedicated individuals who work daily on behalf of Michigan victims, at a Candlelight Vigil to be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2006, at the State Capitol; and be it further

Resolved, That we stand united as individuals, communities, and as a state in our commitment to affording justice to victims of crime; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the coordinators of this event as evidence of our respect and best wishes.