Every April, National Crime Victims’ Rights Week serves as a nationwide reminder of the need for stronger protections and the removal of barriers to full justice for all victims of crime. Communities across the country revisit the history of the victims’ rights movement, celebrate the progress achieved, and recommit to further advancements.
Here in Florida, this week offers us an important opportunity to reflect on our state’s own journey. In the 1980s, Florida stood at the forefront of the national movement to recognize that crime victims’ rights had been ignored for too long. In 1988, Florida became one of the first states in the nation to amend its constitution to guarantee crime victims’ rights, and that same year the Legislature enacted the Victims’ Rights Act, establishing a statutory “bill of rights” for victims.
In 2018, Florida voters modernized the state constitution by approving Marsy’s Law for Florida with overwhelming support. The amendment replaced outdated language with a clear, enforceable set of rights—including the right to privacy, which allows victims to “prevent the automatic public disclosure of personally identifiable information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family.” Other rights include the right to be informed about and present at all court proceedings, the right to be heard at proceedings and the right to have proceedings that are free from unreasonable delay.
Florida crime victims almost universally exercised the privacy right until a legal challenge questioned whether it applied to on-duty law enforcement officers involved in use-of-force incidents. In 2023, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the right did not protect any victims’ identity, law enforcement or otherwise, therefore stripping the privacy protection from all Florida crime victims.
In direct response, and with overwhelming and bipartisan support, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 350 and House Bill 1113—approved unanimously in the House and with only four votes against it in the Senate. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation into law last week, restoring the fundamental right to privacy for Florida crime victims while including limited protections to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers.
Crime victims do not choose to become victims. They deserve the power to decide whether their trauma and personally identifiable information is released to the world. Confidentiality is often essential to their safety: it shields them not only from perpetrators who may seek to locate or harass them or their families, but also from the unwanted curiosity of the public and others.
As we mark National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2026, April 19-25, we are deeply grateful to the governor and the Florida Legislature for passing this important legislation and, especially, to Sen. Erin Grall and Rep. Kaylee Tuck for their tireless leadership as bill sponsors.
Crime victims’ rights in Florida are stronger because of their collective efforts.
Paul Hawkes was a judge on the Florida First District Court of Appeal and now provides counsel to Marsy’s Law for Florida.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Lauding stronger crime victims’ rights in Florida | Opinion
Reporting by Judge Paul Hawkes, Your Turn / Tallahassee Democrat
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