HB5947 Summary

• Amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act to require courts and the Prisoner Review Board to issue no-contact orders against defendants at sentencing or parole hearings, upon request by the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of a homicide victim.

• No-contact orders remain effective while the defendant is in custody.

• Expands victim notification and rights procedures including law enforcement status updates, court proceeding information, social services referrals, victim advocate support, and translator access.

• Requires the State's Attorney to consult with victims before plea negotiations, request restitution at sentencing, and provide notice of appeals, post-conviction review filings, and case dispositions.

• Establishes Prisoner Review Board obligations to notify victims of parole eligibility, release decisions, escapes, and sex offender releases, with a toll-free number for violent crime victims to submit information for parole hearings.