article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Crime Victims' Bill of Rights Act''. SEC. 2. VICTIMS' STATEMENT IN FEDERAL CASES. Rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure is amended-- (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subdivision (a)(1)(B); (2) by striking the period at the end of subdivision (a)(1)(C) and inserting ``; and''; (3) by inserting after subdivision (a)(1)(C) the following: ``(D) address personally any victim of the offense for which sentence is to be imposed (or a member of that victim's immediate family or, in the discretion of the court, any other appropriate person representing the victim) who is present at the sentencing hearing, and afford the individual so addressed the opportunity to make a statement and present information in relation to the sentence.''; (4) in the penultimate sentence of subdivision (a)(1), by striking ``equivalent opportunity'' and inserting ``opportunity equivalent to that of the defendant's counsel''; and (5) by adding at the end of subdivision (a)(1) the following: ``Upon request by a victim, the court may hear in camera such a statement by that victim.''. SEC. 3. RIGHT OF VICTIMS OF STATE OFFENSES TO BE INFORMED ABOUT VICTIM COMPENSATION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. Section 1403(b) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10602(b) is amended-- (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7); (2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following: ``(8) such State provides an effective system of notice to crime victims of the existence of compensation and other programs to assist victims of crime in which those victims might be eligible to participate; and''; and (3) by redesignating existing paragraph (8) as paragraph (9). SEC. 4. RIGHT OF VICTIMS IN COURT PROCEEDINGS. (a) Separation of Victim from Accused.--Section 501(b) of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 is amended-- (1) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (21) and adding ``; and''; and (2) by adding at the end the following: ``(22) programs that allow for the physical and visual separation of a victim of crime from an alleged perpetrator of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance.''. (b) Formula Grant Reduction for Noncompliance.--Section 506 of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(g) In order not to reduce the funds available under this subpart by 25 percent (for redistribution to other participating States), a State shall, on the first day of each fiscal year succeeding the first fiscal year beginning after September 30, 1994-- ``(1) notify a victim of crime of the availability of visual and physical separation from an alleged perpetrator of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; ``(2) provide such victim the opportunity for visual and physical separation from an alleged perpetrator of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; ``(3) provide a victim of crime with the earliest possible notice of the scheduling of each court proceeding or parole hearing that the witness is either required or entitled to attend; and ``(4) address personally any victim of the offense for which sentence is to be imposed (or a member of that victim's immediate family or, in the discretion of the court, any other appropriate person representing the victim) who is present at the sentencing hearing, and afford the individual so addressed the opportunity to make a statement and present information in relation to the sentence.''. SEC. 5. FEDERAL VICTIMS RIGHTS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT COMPENSATION PROGRAMS AND TO SEPARATE WAITING FACILITIES. The Attorney General shall assure that Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials-- (1) provide an effective system of notice to crime victims of the existence of compensation and other programs to assist victims of crime in which those victims might be eligible to participate; (2) notify victims of Federal crime of the availability of visual and physical separation from alleged perpetrators of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; (3) provide victims of Federal crime the opportunity for visual and physical separation from alleged perpetrators of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; and (4) provide a victim of crime with the earliest possible notice of the scheduling of each court proceeding or parole hearing that the witness is either required or entitled to attend.
summary: Crime Victims' Bill of Rights Act - Amends Rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to require the court, before imposing sentence, to address personally any victim of the offense for which sentence is to be imposed (or a member of that victim's immediate family or, in the court's discretion, any other appropriate person representing the victim) who is present at the sentencing hearing and to afford such individual the opportunity to make a statement and present information in relation to the sentence. Permits the court, upon request by a victim, to hear in camera such a statement by that victim. Amends the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to condition Federal grant eligibility of crime victim compensation programs on a State providing an effective system of notice to eligible victims of the existence of compensation and other programs to assist victims of crime. Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to: (1) authorize drug control and system improvement grants to States to be used for programs that allow for the physical and visual separation of a victim of crime from an alleged perpetrator of such crime while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; and (2) provide for a reduction of formula grants by 25 percent (for redistribution to other participating States) for States which fail to notify a crime victim of specified rights. Directs the Attorney General to assure that Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials: (1) provide an effective system of notice to crime victims of the existence of compensation and other programs to assist victims who might be eligible to participate; (2) notify crime victims of the availability of, and provide such victims the opportunity for, visual and physical separation from alleged crime perpetrators while waiting in a judicial facility for a courtroom appearance; and (3) provide a crime victim with the earliest possible notice of the scheduling of each court proceeding or parole hearing that the witness is required or entitled to attend.