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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Allow an Attorney To Speak or Provide a Written Statement for a Victim at Sentencing’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §1174, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 680, §5, is amended to read:
 
1.    The victim must be provided the opportunity to participate at sentencing by:
 
A.  Making an oral statement in open court; or
 
B.  Submitting a written statement to the court either directly or through the attorney for the State. A written statement must be made part of the record.
 
An attorney for the victim may submit a written statement or make an oral statement on the victim's behalf.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment changes the title and removes from the bill the provision that provides that an attorney may represent the victim at a sentencing hearing. It retains and clarifies the provision of the bill that allows an attorney to submit a written statement or speak on the victim's behalf.