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Senate bill would let judges appoint a designee to question victims when defendants represent themselves and expand survivor protections for FGM and strangling
Summary
SB 6,017 would let judges appoint a representative to ask direct questions of victims when defendants act pro se, allow people 13 and older to consent to certain forensic exams, and add victims of female genital mutilation to survivor-rights protections; survivors and victim-service providers testified that the measure would reduce retraumatization, while defense groups raised constitutional concerns.
Senate Bill 6,017 would add tools intended to reduce courtroom retraumatization and expand survivor protections. The bill would allow a court, at the request of a prosecutor or plaintiff, to appoint a representative to conduct direct questioning of the victim when a defendant represents themself. It would also let minors aged 13 and older consent to forensic examinations for nonfatal strangulation and extend statutory survivor rights to victims of female genital mutilation (FGM).
Sen. Tina Orwall, the bill sponsor, framed the bill as…
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