William Van Regenmorter, Former State Senator, Dies at 73

(LANSING, Mich.) -- News came Monday that William van Regenmorter, a former state senator, passed away this week, according to U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga in a statement.  Regenmorter served in the state legislature for nearly 25 years, and was known for having championed the rights of crime victims, reports the Detroit Free Press.

“Sen. Van Regenmorter was a staple in the community, who led by example and was not only a valued mentor to me but a trusted friend as well,” said Huizenga.

Regenmorter drafted the Michigan’s Crime Victim’s Rights Act of 1985, which the paper says became a national model for other acts of a similar nature. In 2009, the U.S. Department of Justice awarded Regenmorter the Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award.

Regenmorter is survived by his wife and four children.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio