The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 9 on victim impact statement at sentencing authored by Sen. Brown. The bill requires a defendant to be present in the courtroom while a victim makes a statement concerning the crime and the sentence unless the defendant presents a safety risk or causes a significant disruption.
The Committee amended the bill by consent to sentence a defendant in absentia when the defendant makes himself absent.
Members of the public testified in support and opposition to the bill. The Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Violence testified in support of the bill. The amended bill passed 9-0.
Read the bill at: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/senate/9