About Marsy's Law for Illinois

Marsy’s Law for Illinois, also known as the Illinois Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights Amendment, was on the November 4, 2014, ballot as a legislatively-referred Constitutional Amendment, where it was overwhelmingly approved with 78% of the voters. Modeled after Marsy's Law in California, which passed as a state constitutional amendment in 2008 and is among the strongest protections of crime victims’ rights in the country, and the Federal Crime Victims Rights Act, the Illinois initiative was backed by the Illinois Coalition for Enforceable Victims Rights, led by Attorney General Lisa Madigan and various other law enforcement, victims, and community organizations. 

The experience of Marsy’s family is typical of the pain and suffering family members of murder victims so often endure. Marsy’s family was not informed because the courts and law enforcement, though well-meaning, had no obligation to keep them informed. While those accused of crimes have more than 20 individual rights spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, the surviving family members of murder victims have none.

The Marsy’s Law initiative began in California and was led and sponsored by Marsy’s brother, Dr. Henry T. Nicholas III. When it passed in November 2008, Proposition 9, The California Victims’ Bill of Rights Act of 2008: Marsy’s Law, became the strongest and most comprehensive Constitutional victims’ rights laws in the U.S. and put California at the forefront of the national victims’ rights movement.