Maine Senate gives initial approval to Sen. Carney bill to prevent dating partner abuse

AUGUSTA — On Monday, June 12, the Maine Senate gave initial approval to a bill from Sen. Anne Carney, D-Cape Elizabeth. As amended, LD 1461, “An Act to Prevent Dating Partner Abuse by Including Dating Partners in the Scope of Domestic Violence Crimes,” would include dating partners in Maine’s domestic violence crimes statutes.

“The purpose of this legislation is simply to include dating partners in the scope of Maine’s domestic violence crimes in order to reduce or prevent dating partner violence,” said Sen. Carney. “If assault, stalking or terrorizing of a dating partner is, in substance, the same pattern of violent behavior over time as domestic abuse of a spouse, domestic or sexual partner, then these laws should apply equally to dating partners. I’m thankful that my Senate colleagues supported this bill.”

Maine’s domestic violence crimes statutes are found within Chapter 9 of the Maine Criminal Code, Offenses Against the Person. Domestic violence is a significant public health issue in Maine, and has been for a long time. Created by statute in 1997, the Maine Domestic Abuse Homicide Review Panel reviews deaths of persons who are killed by family or household members and looks at the data related to domestic abuse homicide cases. For the most recent biennial report issued in 2020, the panel found that the 18 domestic abuse homicides in 2018 and 2019 accounted for nearly 43 percent of Maine’s total homicides during the two-year period. Moreover, this rate has been steady for over a decade.

LD 1461 now awaits additional votes in the House and Senate.

###