February 9, 2025

cjstudents

News for criminal justice students

Marsy’s Law supporters rally for constitutional amendment

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Liz Ford drove from Sioux City to Des Moines to tell the story of her late husband, Troy, and advocate for a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of crime victims.

In 2015, Ford and her husband stopped to check on a man in a truck who appeared to be in medical distress. When the driver gained consciousness, Ford said, he grabbed the keys to the vehicle and ran over Ford’s husband.

“He intentionally ran over Troy with his truck and unloaded equipment trailer, tearing him completely apart,” Ford said, pausing to compose herself. 

Ford said she “had to fight every step of the way” to stay informed about the legal proceedings against the driver, who served six years in jail and has since been released. 

“(The criminal justice system) focuses on the offender, their rights — not ours,” Ford said. “We the victims are not equal, have not been, and remain that way.”

Ford spoke on behalf of Marsy’s Law, a proposal that would enshrine rights for crime victims into state constitutions. About 35 supporters gathered Monday morning to call on Iowa lawmakers to pass House Study Bill 525,which would amend Iowa’s constitution to delineate rights for crime victims. That includes the right to be notified and involved in justice proceedings against the defendant, and to be notified if they are granted parole or release. Victims would also have a constitutional right to restitution.

Rep. Marti Anderson spoke in favor of the proposal at the Monday morning event. She helped write the section of Iowa law that currently protects the rights of victims, but argued a more permanent solution was needed.

“Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Because statutes can be changed with one vote of one legislature,” Anderson, D-Des Moines, said. “We can’t take that chance with these rights.”

Anderson and other advocates for the change said 36 states have adopted a constitutional amendment on victims’ rights. 

But some groups aren’t sure the proposal should be added to Iowa’s constitution.

Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said adding Marsy’s Law to the constitution would make it hard for lawmakers to make changes, if there are unintended consequences to the legislation. He said legislative staff research shows only about 10 states have adopted detailed language on victims’ rights such as has been proposed for Iowa.

Holt led a subcommittee on the proposal last week, where lawmakers moved the bill to the full committee without recommendation to pass it. That keeps the bill alive for committee debate, but Holt said Monday he does not intend to advance it as it currently stands.

“It’s not about whether we believe in victims’ rights or not, of course we do,” Holt told editor Kathie Obradovich for a weekly column. “It’s about how that is handled, and where is most appropriate: code as opposed to constitution.”

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