I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3381
To enhance the rights of crime victims, to establish grants for local 
governments to assist crime victims, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 28, 2003
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget 
and Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To enhance the rights of crime victims, to establish grants 
for local governments to assist crime victims, and for 
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Crime Victims Assistance Act of 2003’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—VICTIM RIGHTS IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM 
Sec. 101. Right to consult concerning detention. 
Sec. 102. Right to a speedy trial. 
Sec. 103. Right to consult concerning plea. 
Sec. 104. Enhanced participatory rights at trial. 
Sec. 105. Enhanced participatory rights at sentencing. 
Sec. 106. Right to notice concerning sentence adjustment, discharge from psy-
chiatric facility, and executive clemency. 
Sec. 107. Procedures to promote compliance. 
TITLE II—VICTIM ASSISTANCE INITIATIVES 
Sec. 201. Pilot programs to enforce compliance with State crime victim’s rights 
laws. 
Sec. 202. Increased resources to develop state-of-the-art systems for notifying 
crime victims of important dates and developments. 
Sec. 203. Restorative justice grants. 
Sec. 204. Grants to develop interdisciplinary coordinated service programs for 
victims of crime. 
Sec. 205. Grants for services to crime victims with special communication 
needs. 
TITLE III—AMENDMENTS TO VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT OF 1984
Sec. 301. Formula for distributions from the crime victims fund. 
Sec. 302. Clarification regarding antiterrorism emergency reserve. 
Sec. 303. Prohibition on diverting crime victims fund to offset increased spend-
ing.
TITLE I—VICTIM RIGHTS IN THE 
FEDERAL SYSTEM 
SEC. 101. RIGHT TO CONSULT CONCERNING DETENTION. 
(a) RIGHT
TO
CONSULT
CONCERNING
DETEN-
TION.—Section 503(c) of the Victims’ Rights and Restitu-
tion Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(c)) is amended by 
striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) A responsible official shall—
‘‘(A) arrange for a victim and any other 
person whose safety, by reason of a relationship 
with the victim, may reasonably be threatened 
to receive reasonable protection from a sus-
pected offender and persons acting in concert 
with or at the behest of the suspected offender; 
and 
‘‘(B) consult with a victim and any other 
person whose safety, by reason of a relationship 
with the victim, may reasonably be threatened 
prior to a detention hearing to obtain informa-
tion that can be presented to the court on the 
issue of any threat the suspected offender may 
pose to the safety of the victim.’’. 
(b) COURT CONSIDERATION OF THE VIEWS OF VIC-
TIMS.—Chapter 207 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended—
(1) in section 3142—
(A) in subsection (g)—
(i) in paragraph (3), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) by redesignating paragraph (4) as 
paragraph (5); and 
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (3) 
the following: 
‘‘(4) the views of the victim; and’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) VIEWS
OF
THE VICTIM.—During a hearing 
under subsection (f), the judicial officer shall inquire of
the attorney for the Government if the victim and any 
other person whose safety, by reason of a relationship with 
the victim, may reasonably be threatened has been con-
sulted on the issue of detention and the views of such vic-
tim or other person, if any.’’; and 
(2) in section 3156(a)—
(A) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (5), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) the term ‘victim’ includes all persons de-
fined as victims in section 503(e)(2) of the Victims’ 
Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
10607(e)(2)).’’. 
SEC. 102. RIGHT TO A SPEEDY TRIAL. 
Section 3161(h)(8)(B) of title 18, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(v) The interests of the victim (as defined in section 
503(e)(2) of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(e)(2)) in the prompt and appro-
priate disposition of the case, free from unreasonable 
delay.’’.
SEC. 103. RIGHT TO CONSULT CONCERNING PLEA. 
(a) RIGHT TO CONSULT CONCERNING PLEA.—Sec-
tion 503(c) of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 10607(c)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 
(8) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(4) A responsible official shall make reason-
able efforts to notify a victim of, and consider the 
views of a victim about, any proposed or con-
templated plea agreement. In determining what is 
reasonable, the responsible official should consider 
factors relevant to the wisdom and practicality of 
giving notice and considering views in the context of 
the particular case, including—
‘‘(A) the impact on public safety and risks 
to personal safety; 
‘‘(B) the number of victims and any other 
persons whose safety, by reason of a relation-
ship with a victim, may reasonably be threat-
ened;
‘‘(C) the need for confidentiality, including 
whether the proposed plea involves confidential 
information or conditions; and
‘‘(D) whether time is of the essence in ne-
gotiating or entering a proposed plea.’’. 
(b) COURT CONSIDERATION OF THE VIEWS OF VIC-
TIMS.—Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Proce-
dure is amended—
(1) by redesignating subdivisions (g) and (h) as 
subdivisions (h) and (i), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subdivision (f) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(g) VIEWS OF THE VICTIM.—Notwithstanding the 
acceptance of a plea of guilty, the court should not enter 
a judgment upon such plea without making inquiry of the 
attorney for the Government if the victim (as defined in 
section 503(e)(2) of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution 
Act of 1990) and any other person whose safety, by reason 
of a relationship with the victim, may reasonably be 
threatened has been consulted on the issue of the plea and 
the views of such victim or other person, if any.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 
subsection (b) shall become effective as provided in 
paragraph (3). 
(2) ACTION BY JUDICIAL CONFERENCE.—
(A) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this