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Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act
12/31/2022, 4:58 AM
Summary of Bill HR 4139
The main provisions of the bill include increasing funding for domestic violence shelters and services, expanding access to legal assistance for survivors, and implementing stricter penalties for abusers. Additionally, the bill seeks to improve coordination between law enforcement agencies and domestic violence service providers to ensure that survivors receive the support they need.
One key aspect of the bill is the establishment of a national registry for domestic violence offenders, which would help law enforcement agencies track and monitor individuals with a history of domestic violence. This registry would be accessible to law enforcement agencies across the country, making it easier to identify and apprehend repeat offenders. Overall, the Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act aims to strengthen protections for domestic violence survivors and hold abusers accountable for their actions. Supporters of the bill argue that it is a crucial step towards addressing the epidemic of domestic violence in the United States and providing much-needed support for survivors.
Congressional Summary of HR 4139
Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act
This bill makes changes to the federal statutory framework that prohibits the shipment, transport, receipt, or possession of firearms or ammunition by an individual who is subject to a qualifying domestic violence court order.
Under current law, a qualifying domestic violence court order must meet certain requirements, including to (1) be issued after a hearing of which the individual had notice and an opportunity to participate; and (2) restrain the individual from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (i.e., a current or former spouse, a co-parent of a child, or a current or former cohabitant) or the child of an intimate partner.
This bill expands the scope of qualifying domestic violence court orders to include an order that
- is issued after an ex parte hearing (i.e., a hearing with only one party present);
- restrains the individual from harassing, stalking, or threatening a dating partner or former dating partner; or
- restrains the individual from intimidating a witness.
Current law also prohibits an individual who is convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing firearms or ammunition. These restrictions generally only apply to spouses, co-parents, and cohabitants, and to offenses that involve physical force or deadly weapons. This bill expands the scope of these restrictions to include dating partners and offenses that involve stalking.
Finally, the bill authorizes grants for state, local, and tribal governments to remove firearms and take other steps after a domestic violence court order is issued.
