HB 526 Summary

• Makes restitution mandatory for all felony convictions and misdemeanor offenses of violence, requiring courts to order full restitution to victims based on economic loss without considering the offender's ability to pay.

• Establishes new procedures for determining restitution amounts, requiring prosecutors and probation departments to present evidence and allowing courts to hold hearings; shifts burden of proof to preponderance of the evidence standard.

• Expands victim participation rights in judicial proceedings, including judicial release hearings, record sealing/expungement decisions, and sentencing, permitting victims to submit written statements and make oral statements about crime impacts.

• Grants crime victims and victim advocates standing to assert victim rights in court proceedings and requires prosecutors to notify victims of judicial release hearings and record sealing applications at least ten days in advance.

• Adds new enforcement mechanisms for restitution orders, including property preservation restraining orders and establishes payment priorities when multiple victims are involved (individuals first, then nonprofits, businesses, and government entities).