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HJRES 71 105th Congress House

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect the rights of crime victims.

Introduced: April 15, 1997 See on congress.gov
Crime and Law Enforcement Administration of criminal justiceBailCompensation for victims of crimeCongress
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Congressional powersConstitutional amendmentsCriminal justice informationDue process of lawFugitives from justiceGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicityImprisonmentLawLegislationParoleParties to actionsPleas (Criminal procedure)Sentences (Criminal procedure)Speedy trial
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This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 25, 1997
Committee Hearings Held.
Apr 15, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 15, 1997
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 25, 1997

Committee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment - Grants victims of violent crimes or crimes for which the defendant can be imprisoned for longer than one year the right: (1) to notice of, and to not be excluded from, all public proceedings relating to the crime; (2) to be heard, if present, and to submit a written statement at all public proceedings (and non-public parole proceedings to the extent the convicted offender is afforded such rights) relating to the crime to determine a release from custody, an acceptance of a negotiated plea, or a sentence; (3) to notice of any release or escape from custody relating to the crime; (4) to seek relief from an unreasonable delay of the final disposition of the proceedings relating to the crime; (5) to an order of restitution from the convicted offender; (6) to consideration for the victim's safety in determining any release from custody; and (7) to notice of the rights established by this amendment.

Grants the victim standing to assert such rights.

Grants power to the Congress and the States to enforce this amendment.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 6
All 6 Democratic 2 Republican 4
R
Smith, Christopher H.
New Jersey · Apr 21, 1998
 R
Sessions, Pete
Texas · Mar 24, 1998
 R
Calvert, Ken
California · Nov 13, 1997
 D
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts · Nov 13, 1997
 R
Graham, Lindsey
South Carolina · Sep 16, 1997
 D
Sherman, Brad
California · Jul 11, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 71: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect the rights of crime victims.. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HJRES-71/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 71: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect the rights of crime victims.." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HJRES-71/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 71, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HJRES-71/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 71: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to protect the rights of crime victims.](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HJRES-71/)
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