Ch. 641

1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 641
(House Bill 975)

AN ACT concerning

Victims' Rights - Notification Procedures

FOR the purpose of establishing procedures for notifying certain victims of their rights
during the criminal justice process; requiring the State Board of Victim Services to
create and develop certain informational pamphlets notifying victims of certain
rights, services, and procedures provided by law; requiring the Board, in
consultation with the Administrative Office of the Courts, to develop a notification
request form through which a victim may request to be notified under this Act;
providing for the distribution of the pamphlets to certain victims at certain stages of
a criminal case; altering the composition of the Board; requiring the State's Attorney
to mail or otherwise deliver to the victim a notification request form within a certain
period of time after the filing or unsealing of an indictment or information in circuit
court or on the filing of a petition alleging delinquency in certain cases; requiring
the State's Attorney to certify certain information to the clerk of the circuit court;
designating the State's Attorney to receive a completed notification request form
from a victim; requiring the State's Attorney to send a copy of the completed
notification request form to the clerk; providing for the effect of filing a notification
request form by a victim; authorizing a victim to designate a person or organization
to receive notice for the victim under certain circumstances; requiring the State's
Attorney, under certain circumstances, to send to the victim prior notice of certain
proceedings; authorizing the State's Attorney, under certain circumstances, to
request the clerk to send the notice to the victim; requiring the State's Attorney,
under certain circumstances, to advise the victim of certain proceedings; authorizing
the State's Attorney, under certain circumstances, to give the victim certain
information; requiring the clerk, under certain circumstances, to include certain
information with a commitment order; requiring the clerk, under certain
circumstances, to send certain information to the Attorney General and a certain
court; establishing procedures by which a victim may elect not to receive notice
under this Act; authorizing a victim to file a notification request form with a
department or facility to which the defendant has been committed; repealing the
termination date for certain court costs; defining certain terms; making certain
technical changes; and generally relating to victims' rights notification procedures.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 26A - Criminal Injuries Compensation Act

Section 17

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1994 Replacement Volume and 1995 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article 27 - Crimes and Punishments
Section 773

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