Friends,
This session one of the issues that we’ve been working on here at the Legislature is domestic violence. Several of the measures will protect the victims of this crime and their families. I thought I would fill you in on them:
HOUSE FILE 3236: I was the author of this bill which will allow authorities to remove the firearms from anyone subject to a civil order for protection or prohibited from possessing firearms due to a conviction for domestic abuse.
HOUSE FILE 2295: Authored by Rep. Clark Johnson, this bill allows judicial districts the option to use GPS monitoring programs to protect victims of domestic abuse. It builds on a pilot program that is currently being used in Ramsey County that uses GPS technology to alert authorities when alleged domestic violence offenders are getting too close to their victims.
HOUSE FILE 2141: Authored by Rep. Paul Rosenthal, this bill would expand law enforcement’s warrantless arrest time period for domestic violence misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor violations from 24 hours to 72 hours. It also allows for the warrantless arrest in cases of violation of an order for protection, violation of a restraining order and violation of a domestic abuse no contact order. In addition, law enforcement may make a warrantless arrest if it has probable cause to believe that the person has committed domestic abuse.
HOUSE FILE 2142: This bill, introduced by Rep. Barb Yarusso, mandates that authorities inform the victim of a domestic violence-related crime of the city and zip code of where the offender will be living upon release from prison.
HOUSE FILE 2766: Another bill authored by Rep. Paul Rosenthal, it would add sexual assault and stalking to actions that are justification for quitting employment and receive Unemployment Insurance.
As a police officer, I’ve seen the wreckage wrought by domestic abuse. It shatters families. If these bills save one life or protect one family, they will be worth it.
Dan