Florida Speaker of the House Richard Corcoran announced his support for Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) Proposal 96 (also known as Marsy’s Law for Florida) in a letter to commissioners, calling on his appointees to support the proposal, which would provide crime victims and their families with clear, enforceable protections in the Florida Constitution.
“Florida should join the growing list of states that have enshrined these important protections in their state constitutions,” Speaker Richard Corcoran wrote in his letter. “As a member of the Commission, you have the tremendous opportunity to ensure that crime victims’ rights and interests are protected by law … This provision puts the constitutional rights of a crime victim on equal footing with the rights of the accused. Victims of crime deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.”
Last month, the full CRC voted in favor of Marsy’s Law for Florida. The measure will go before the full CRC again for a second vote and must receive a minimum of 22 votes in order to be placed on the 2018 General Election ballot. The proposal must be approved by 60 percent of voters to be placed in the Florida Constitution.
Speaker Corcoran’s endorsement comes just before National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 8-14, where communities across the country will come together to raise awareness for victims’ rights and encourage access to important protections for all crime victims.
About Marsy’s Law
Marsy’s Law is named after Marsalee “Marsy” Nicholas of California who was stalked and killed by her ex-boyfriend in 1983. Only one week after her death, Marsy’s mother and brother, Henry T. Nicholas, walked into a grocery store where they were confronted by the accused murderer. The family, who had just come from a visit to Marsy’s grave, was unaware that the accused had been released on bail. In an effort to honor his sister, Dr. Nicholas, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, has made it his mission to give victims and their families constitutional protections and equal rights. He formed Marsy’s Law for All in 2009, providing expertise and resources to victims’ rights organizations nationwide.
