HB320 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Mike Jones

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Domestic violence, greater protection to victims, provided, Sec. 13A-6-139.1, 41-23-150 added; Secs. 11-45-9, 13A-6-130, 13A-6-131, 13A-6-132, 13A-6-134, 13A-6-138, 13A-6-140 to 13A-6-143, inclusive, 15-10-3, 15-13-190, 15-23-68, 30-5-2, 30-5-3, 30-5-5 to 30-5-8, inclusive, 30-6-1 to 30-6-11, inclusive, 30-6-13, 30-7-1 to 30-7-6, inclusive, 30-9-1, 30-9-2, am'd.

Description

Under existing law, the commission of domestic violence is a crime, and there are provisions to protect the victim from further acts of domestic violence.

This bill would provide greater protection and assistance to victims of domestic violence.

This bill would provide consistency to the definition of domestic violence throughout the code.

This bill would clarify the definition of dating relationship as it relates to domestic violence.

This bill would strengthen the provisions relating to domestic violence protection orders and require better communication among law enforcement to ensure protection of a victim when a protection order is issued.

This bill would require more assistance by law enforcement officers to victims of domestic violence when responding to incidents of domestic violence.

This bill would transfer the responsibility of certifying and monitoring domestic violence shelters from the Office of Prosecution Services to the Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

This bill would create a Domestic Violence Trust Fund administered by the Department of Economic and Community Affairs to fund domestic violence centers in the state.

This bill would strengthen the requirements for reporting incidents of domestic violence throughout the state.

This bill would establish a certified domestic violence center capital improvement grant program under the Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

This bill would provide that the Director of the Department of Economic and Community Affairs, or his or her designee, would oversee the application process and would provide for the information to be included in the application.

This bill would provide for the purposes for which the grant funds can be used and would require the director to conduct an annual needs assessment, developed in coordination with the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to determine the certified domestic violence centers most in need of the grant funds.

This bill would require the director to ensure that the grant funds awarded under this act are being used in accordance with the purposes specified by this act.

This bill would ensure confidentiality to a certified domestic violence center involved in the grant process and would provide for a limit on the amount of grant funds to be awarded.

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Subjects

Domestic Violence