Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) helped pass a package of bills that would increase aid and assistance for crime victims and their families to help them rebuild their lives. The passage of these bills recognizes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which falls on April 6-12 this year.

“In the aftermath of a crime, it can seem nearly impossible for individuals and families to put their lives back together,” Assemblyman Thiele said. “The package of legislation I helped pass provides critical assistance to victims who have had their world turned upside down.”

Easing the financial burden on victims and their families

Included in the legislative package is a measure that would expand eligibility for compensation from the Office of Victim Services (A.4024). This bill would allow individuals in domestic partner relationships with crime victims to be eligible for awards from the Office of Victim Services, including for actual out-of-pocket losses and counseling expenses.

“Losing a loved one to an act of criminal violence can take an unimaginable emotional toll,” Thiele said. “It’s crucial to have a support system in place to help victims recover. This legislation would provide surviving family members with the financial aid and the necessary professional counseling needed to begin regaining some normalcy in their lives.”

In addition, the Assembly passed several bills that would help victims get financially back on their feet. One bill would allow courts to direct all or a portion of certain fines to the Office of Victim Services (A.5386), creating another revenue source to fund its victim’s assistance and victim’s compensation programs. Another measure would allow medically necessary life-sustaining equipment that was damaged as the result of a crime to be eligible to be replaced or repaired through the Office of Victim Services without monetary restriction on the award amount. (A.4645-A). An additional measure would allow victims to receive compensation for transportation costs associated with necessary court appearances (A.5916-A).

Protecting individuals who report crimes

Also included in the legislative package is a bill that would protect the right of tenants to report criminal acts, including acts of domestic violence, without the fear of losing their housing as the result of landlord actions or local nuisance laws (A.9056). Currently, many municipalities throughout the state have nuisance laws, which can be overly broad and, as a result, dissuade victims from calling the police or reporting crimes.

“No victim should ever have to think twice about calling the police or requesting emergency services for fear of jeopardizing their housing,” Assemblyman Thiele said.

Making sure victims’ needs are met

The Assembly also passed a measure that would change the reporting requirements pertaining to restitution and fair treatment standards for the Office of Victim Services to allow for a more thorough analysis of the manner in which crime victims’ needs are met (A.5388). The reporting requirements would be changed from annual to every two years and would require information collected by probation departments related to crime victims’ impact statements to be included in the biennial report.

“A more thorough analysis of the impact on victims will help ensure that those who have suffered from criminal acts are receiving the best services and support available,” Thiele said.

Protecting rape victims

The Assembly also plans to pass important legislation that would redefine rape by removing the penetration requirement and including other forms of nonconsensual sexual conduct that are currently recognized by the law only as “criminal sexual acts” (A.3339-A).

“It’s unconscionable to think that the evidence against a perpetrator of rape could be overwhelming and indisputable, and yet the individual responsible for the crime could get off on a lesser charge due to a technicality,” Assemblyman Thiele said.