Today we are commemorating the annual National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims, which honors and recognizes homicide victims and their families and friends.  It is our chance as a nation and as a state to say we remember those who have been taken away from us by violence. 

Murder victims’ families are faced with immediate, short-term and also long lasting consequences. They are affected spiritually, emotionally and even physically.  Long after the news fades from the newspapers and disappears from the news broadcasts, the survivors of homicide must continue to cope with the devastating impact of murder and its far reaching ripple effects to our families, communities, our state and our nation.   It is important to me that we never forget your loved ones; that we never forget that they were here and lived, and that they made us laugh and they made us cry, and that they made a difference. For all these reasons and for so many more, homicide victims shall never be forgotten.

To that end, I have taken steps to ensure that murder victims in Arizona are not forgotten, and that their families are not forgotten. I am committed to raising the awareness of Victims’ Rights and Victim Issues and appointed an Advisor specifically for that purpose. Arizona is the first state to have a victims’ rights advisor position, and since this appointment several other states have followed suit. Additionally, there have been several legislation reforms made to ensure that victims of violent crime are treated appropriately:

• Legislation was passed and signed mandating Superior Court Judges read the Arizona Victims’ Bill of Rights aloud in open court. Arizona is the third state in the country to do this.

• Legislation was passed and signed that protects victims of domestic violence and stalking from having their personal information posted on public Web sites.

• Legislation was passed and signed that ensures that a free copy of the police report is provided to victims of serious crimes, ensuring statewide uniformity for receiving police reports.

• We also signed into law "privileged communication" legislation, which says that a statement made by a sex offender during treatment that leads to a reasonable belief that the person has committed a new sexual offense or an offense of sexual exploitation of children could be admissible against the person in any criminal or juvenile deliquency proceeding.

I have also written a letter that was sent to every Governor in the United States asking them to please urge their respective members of Congress to support House Resolution 222. This resolution seeks to have the United States Congress formally declare September 25 as a National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims.