By Kathy Kennedy
State Rep., R-119
Kathy Kennedy
One of the many challenges for legislators at the Capitol is to determine which proposed bills should be considered for debate in the House or Senate chambers. While I have already witnessed legislative committees move forward addressing select political issues more than others, I want you to know what I believe to be one of the most significant concerns: domestic violence.
Unfortunately, domestic violence is not foreign to our district residents, especially following the death of Julie Minogue of Milford last December. My heart broke for Minogue’s family as she was a dedicated mother, hardworking medical assistant and valued member of her community who tragically was a victim of domestic violence.
Outside of our district, the heartbreaking statistics speak for themselves. The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that annually on average 14 individuals in our state have their lives taken by an intimate partner, with the majority of victims being women (87 percent). We must acknowledge domestic violence as a real and increasingly present crime in our nation, our state and sadly, even our own hometown.
That is why I am joining a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers to propose new legislation which seeks to protect victim rights and increase penalties for those who commit acts of domestic violence. The first bill, HB 6431, introduced by 28 House and Senate members on both sides of the aisle, will establish domestic and intimate partner violence murder as a Class A felony.
This bill will serve to not only define domestic violence murder as the significant and deadly crime it truly is, but will also open the doors for stronger enforcement of stricter penalties for criminals and more legislative support for victims. My other proposed bill, HB 6454, will expand the use of global positioning monitoring devices to incidents of domestic abuse.
Currently, this GPS is used in a few scenarios such as property theft, probation cases and others. However, these devices could potentially be used to track domestic violence offenders. This pilot program will directly monitor those subjected to a restraining order, sending signals to local law enforcement so that members of our community can once again have the security they deserve for themselves and their families.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone at any time. Even as we approach Super Bowl Sunday, a day that is statistically proven to prompt domestic abuse incidents, it is crucial to promote life-changing legislation that can provide the necessary protections, penalties and enforcement tactics for this devastating crime.
I will actively update you on the future of these and any other proposed bills as we move forward with the legislative process. As always, please contact me should you have any questions about this issue or concerns on any other topics relating to state government at Kathy.Kennedy@housegop.ct.gov or at 800-842-1423.