Assemblymember Bronson (D-Rochester/Chili/Riga/Rush/Wheatland) announced the passage of legislation which will help protect crime victims along with their families. The passing of this legislation occurred during New York State Crime Victims’ Rights Week which is from April 10-16, 2011.

“Each year, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week provides communities across the state with an opportunity to contribute to reshaping the future for victims of crime,” Assemblymember Bronson said. “This package of bills raises awareness about crime victim issues and reaches out to those in need.”

Legislation in this year’s package includes:

• A.2349 - Directs municipal police training council to establish policies and procedures for police officers, relating to investigation of and intervention into sex offenses;
• A.788 - Provides that sexual contact upon a person under the age of 13 by a person 21 years of age or older shall be sexual abuse in the first degree and subject a person convicted of such offense to up to seven years in state prison;
• A.3081 - Authorizes a court to revoke the firearms license and seize the weapons of certain individuals who are legally incapacitated, ordered to treatment or committed to a mental health facility;
• A.2942-A - Provides that in any action commenced under the state's anti-trust law, the court may direct that all or any part of a criminal fine or civil penalty imposed upon a violator may, in the court's discretion, be ordered to be deposited with the office of victim services;
• A.6800 - Extends the interagency task force on human trafficking until September 1, 2013;
• A.5811 - Changes the reporting requirements relative to restitution and fair treatment standards for the office of victims services from annual to every two years; consolidates reporting requirements regarding victims service programs; requires information collected by local and state probation departments relating to victim impact statements to be included in the biennial report;
• A.3457 - Relates to the filing of a false financing statement; and
• A.3592 - Expands eligibility for those who receive awards under crime victims' compensation to include a domestic partner; defines domestic partner; further provides for out-of-pocket loss to include the cost of counseling for surviving family members of homicide victims.

The Assembly also adopted a resolution, which Assemblymember Bronson sponsored, memorializing the Governor to proclaim April 10-16, 2011 as Crime Victims' Rights Week in the State of New York.

Assemblymember Bronson attended a reading of the joint City of Rochester/Monroe County proclamation for National Crime Victims Week on April 7, 2011. The event was held at the Crime Victims Resource Center in the City of Rochester. Monroe County DA Mike Green and Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard attended, among others. The annual event is sponsored by the Monroe County/City of Rochester Coalition for Crime Victims to honor victims of crimes during National Crime Victims Week. The week concludes with a Victims’ Rights March on Saturday, April 16, 2011 at 9:30. For more information, please visit www.4victims.org/index.htm.

“It is very important that we do all we can to protect those who are victims and to help them take back their lives,” Assemblymember Bronson said.