WEB PORTAL TO HELP CRIME VICTIMS ACCESS INFORMATION

Crime victims will soon find it easier to access information on resources they need to navigate the criminal justice system and apply for compensation, thanks to a Southwest Riverside County lawmaker's bill establishing a website to serve as a one-stop portal for victims and their families.

Sen. Kelly Seyarto, R-murrieta, authored and introduced Senate Bill 86 earlier this year with the goal of building on Marsy's Law, also known as the “Victims' Bill of Rights,” which took effect in 2008, outlining a number of provisions intended to protect victims' interests.

SB 86 received bipartisan support in the Assembly and Senate and was signed into law by the governor in July.

“While California has some of the broadest crime victims' rights in the United States, without guidance, many victims struggle to understand these rights and the complicated legal process which they often face alone,” Seyarto said. “This law will make the information easier to access, providing clarity and relief to those dealing with trauma.”

The legislation requires the California Office of Emergency Services to provide adequate funds to the nonprofit California Victims' Resource Center to create a website that will enable victims and their families to find details regarding Marsy's Law, locate victims' advocates, file claims with the California Victim Compensation Board and access any other state and local information pertinent to their needs.

The annual cost to maintain the portal is anticipated to be $150,000, according to an Assembly analysis of SB 86.

The website is expected to go live sometime in the current fiscal year.