New act will ensure that crime victims still receive restitution

 Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation in late October that requires criminals to continue to pay restitution in cases where a victim passes away.


House Bill 4636, sponsored by state Rep. Tom Leonard, updates the William Van Regenmorter Crime Victim Rights Act to require the remaining restitution payments be made to a victim’s estate.

“This is a common-sense bill that will help victims’ families get the justice they deserve,” Snyder said.HB 4636 is now Public Act 139 of 2013.

Van Regenmorter, 1939-2012, who is shown at right in a file photo from 2009, was a national leader in victim rights restitution.

Snyder also signed two other bills of local interest.

Senate Bill 25/PA 140, sponsored by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, allows homeowners to request a principal residence property tax exemption for any year that such an exemption erroneously was not included on the tax roll. Under current law, taxpayers may appeal for only the current year and the three immediately preceding years. SB 351/PA 141, sponsored by Sen. Arlan Meekhof, updates existing law to clarify that historic agricultural application of fertilizer, soil conditioner, manure, pesticide, crop residuals or processing byproducts, or aquatic plants, does not constitute a contaminated site.

Visit legislature.michigan.gov for more information.

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