In November 1996 the citizens of South Carolina voted overwhelmingly (89%) for the passage of an amendment to the South Carolina Constitution embedding the rights of crime victims alongside that of defendants. In response to the mandates of the Amendment, Senate Bill 616 was introduced to delineate the notification requirements of a wide spectrum of agencies in delivering services. The result was Act 141 of 1997, passed by the South Carolina General Assembly and signed by Governor David M. Beasley.