CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT – VICTIM TESTIMONY

Session: 102nd General Assembly
Year: 2021
Bill #: SB2942
Category: Courts
Position: No position
Mandate?
Revenue Loss?
Authority Preemption?

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Summary as Introduced

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a prosecution for a criminal offense defined in the Sex Offense Article of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse when the alleged victim of the offense was under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, the court may exclude from the proceedings while the victim is testifying, regardless of the alleged victim's age at the time of the victim's courtroom testimony, all persons, who, in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media. Effective immediately.

Staff Analysis

Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that in a prosecution for a criminal offense defined in the Sex Offense Article of the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 or for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse when the alleged victim of the offense was under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, the court may exclude from the proceedings while the victim is testifying, regardless of the alleged victim's age at the time of the victim's courtroom testimony, all persons, who, in the opinion of the court, do not have a direct interest in the case, except the media. Effective immediately.



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