Senate committee advances victim-centered procedures bill after debate on drafting details
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Summary
SB 6017 (victim-centered, trauma-informed responses) advanced after members discussed a victim-request mechanism for standby counsel; sponsor withdrew a drafted amendment to rework its language and the committee recommended the substitute (Foxtrot) to Ways and Means.
Senate Bill 6017, a bill the committee described as promoting victim-centered and trauma-informed responses for victims, survivors and witnesses, moved forward on Jan. 29 after extensive briefing and debate about how to allow victims to request court assistance without improperly creating a new "motion" right.
Staff described proposed substitute Foxtrot as amending intent language and replacing the existing process for appointing representatives for pro se defendants in sexual-assault and domestic-violence cases. The substitute would allow courts, at the request of a prosecuting attorney, to appoint standby counsel or an investigator for trial preparation and — on particularized findings — to have standby counsel conduct direct questioning of a victim witness at trial.
Senator Wagner introduced Amendment Foxtrot 1 to allow victim witnesses to request that the court conduct or appoint standby counsel to conduct direct questioning. Chair Dhingra raised a drafting concern: "Normally, victims aren't allowed to make a motion in front of the court," she said, asking whether the drafting should create a request mechanism rather than a motion. Senator Wagner agreed to withdraw the amendment and bring a refined floor amendment in a "perfected form." Wagner said her intent was to ensure victims "weren't left out of the decision making process."
Supporters said the legislation seeks to protect victims from retraumatization while preserving defendants' confrontation rights. Chair Dhingra emphasized the committee's aim "that we are not retraumatizing the victim" while protecting constitutional rights. The committee adopted the proposed substitute Foxtrot and recommended it be sent to the Ways and Means Committee.
What it does: Foxtrot modifies court appointment mechanics for standby counsel and adds procedural safeguards and severability language; the final text may be further refined on the floor to clarify victim-request mechanisms.
Next step: The bill was sent with a due-pass recommendation to Ways and Means for fiscal review; the sponsor and members said they intend to refine the victim-request language before floor consideration.