AB 2532, as introduced, Quirk. Victims and witnesses of crime.
Existing law states the intent of the Legislature to ensure that all victims and witnesses of crime are treated with dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity, and establishes specified statutory rights of victims and witnesses of crime.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 679 of the Penal Code is amended to
2read:
In recognition of the civil and moral duty of victims and
4witnesses of crime to fully and voluntarily cooperate with law
5enforcement and prosecutorial agencies, and in further recognition
6of the continuing importance of this citizen cooperation to state
7and local law enforcement efforts and the general effectiveness
8and well-being of the criminal justice system of this state, the
9Legislature declares its intent, in the enactment of this title, to
10ensure that all victims and witnesses of crime are treated with
P2 1dignity, respect, courtesy, and sensitivity. It isbegin delete theend delete furtherbegin insert theend insert intent
2that the rights enumerated in Section
679.02 relating to victims
3and witnesses of crime are honored and protected by law
4enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and judges in a manner no less
5vigorous than the protections afforded criminal defendants. It is
6the intent of the Legislature to add to Section 679.02 references
7to new rightsbegin delete asend deletebegin insert as,end insert or as soonbegin delete afterend deletebegin insert after,end insert they are created. The
8failure to enumerate in that section a rightbegin delete whichend deletebegin insert thatend insert is enumerated
9elsewhere in the law shall
not be deemed to diminish the
10importance or enforceability of that right.
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