PHX Reporter

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell praised the recent signing of House Bill 2108 into law in Arizona. The law, previously established in 1999, allowed victims to request cessation of postal mail from inmates. The updated legislation now extends to all forms of communication, including text messages and emails.

"By the time victims have been through the legal system and sentencing, they’ve often endured as much as they can take,” stated County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “This new law expands their rights and gives them the option to refuse any further contact from the very person who caused so much pain. I offer my gratitude to the bill’s main sponsor, Representative Leo Biasiucci, for shepherding this bill through the state legislature, and to Governor Hobbs for signing it into law.”

Mitchell noted that the law's enactment is timely with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week beginning April 6, calling it "an appropriate tribute to those who have suffered at the hands of a criminal.”

To stop communication attempts from convicts, surviving victims must submit a written request to either the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry, or the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections.

The updated law is set to be enacted 90 days post-legislative adjournment for the year.