EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Bill enacts Lydia’s Law (Accountability and Transparency in the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases), 2024. Section 2 of the Act provides that the Attorney General shall prepare and publish a progress report describing the extent to which the Ministry of the Attorney General has implemented certain recommendations set out in the Auditor General’s Report and shall lay the progress report before the Assembly. Section 3 of the Act requires the Standing Committee on Justice Policy to establish a working group to review the progress report and report on their review to the Assembly. Section 4 of the Act provides that the Attorney General shall review the efficiency of the Victim Quick Response Program and report the results of the review to the Assembly. Section 5 of the Act requires police services that receive a sexual assault complaint from persons who are 16 years of age or older to make the person aware of the Independent Legal Advice Program.
Bill 189 2024
An Act to enact Lydia’s Law (Accountability and Transparency in the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases), 2024
His Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
Definitions
1 In this Act,
“Auditor General’s Report” means the 2019 Annual Report that was prepared by the Auditor General and tabled in the Assembly on December 4, 2019; (“FRENCH”)
“police service” has the same meaning as in the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019. (“FRENCH”)
Progress report
2 (1) The Attorney General shall, every year, prepare a progress report describing the extent to which the Ministry of the Attorney General has implemented the following recommendations made in Chapter 3 of Volume 3 of the Auditor General’s Report:
1. Recommendation No. 1 on page 161.
2. Recommendation No. 3 on page 166.
Report to the Assembly
(2) The Attorney General shall lay each progress report before the Assembly on or before March 1 in each year.
Publication
(3) The Attorney General shall publish each progress report on a Government of Ontario website within 10 days after the report is laid before the Assembly.
Review of progress report
3 (1) The Standing Committee on Justice Policy shall establish a working group to review each progress report.
Working group
(2) The working group shall begin the review no later than 10 sitting days after the progress report has been laid before the Assembly.
Report to the Assembly
(3) The Committee shall report on the review of the working group to the Assembly within 20 sitting days after the progress report has been laid.
Victim Quick Response Program
4 The Attorney General shall,
(a) review the efficiency of the Victim Quick Response Program as a replacement for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking; and
(b) report the results of the review to the Assembly within one year after section 1 comes into force.
Independent Legal Advice Program
5 Every police service that receives a sexual assault complaint from a person who is 16 years of age or older shall make the person aware of the Independent Legal Advice Program that is delivered through Ontario Victim Services of the Ministry of the Attorney General.
Commencement
6 This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Short title
7 The short title of this Act is Lydia’s Law (Accountability and Transparency in the Handling of Sexual Assault Cases), 2024.