January 2018 saw another boost in local government support for Marsy’s Law for North Carolina legislation. Three additional counties have joined five other county governments passing proclamations in support of the legislation to strengthen victims’ rights in North Carolina.

Since the new year, Dare, Alexander, and Davidson Counties have all considered and passed resolutions that urge the state’s legislature to vote in support of HB 551, Marsy’s Law. The legislation is part of a two-step process to strengthen rights for North Carolina’s victims of crime – first by passing both chambers of the General Assembly by a ⅗ margin. Once it passes the General Assembly, North Carolina voters will have the opportunity to vote on Marsy’s Law.

These three counties join a growing number of counties and towns statewide that want to see their citizens have the right to vote on this important legislation. Fifteen towns in the state have formally endorsed and support this victims’ rights legislation. Eight counties across North Carolina have also passed resolutions to support Marsy’s Law.

The MLNC team has crisscrossed the state, visiting all 100 counties educating citizens about the need to strengthen victims’ rights in North Carolina and sharing the initiative on social media with #mlacrossnc.

Recently, voters in other states – including last fall in Ohio – have supported similar legislation formally elevating rights for victims of crimes to equal status as their offenders in state constitutions – guaranteeing victims’ rights by law. So far in 2018, it’s on the ballot in three additional states: Kentucky, Nevada, and Oklahoma. If it passes North Carolina’s state legislature soon, voters could also be able to vote on strengthening victims’ rights in 2018 elections.