Sen. Joe Rafferty bill to protect victims of domestic abuse passed by the Senate, headed to Governor’s desk

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, April 8, the Senate unanimously passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk. LD 586, “An Act to Provide a Court Authority to Issue Proximity Restrictions in Protection from Abuse Orders,” would strengthen enforcement of protection orders for victims of domestic abuse.

“My mission with this legislation is to keep survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking safe, and I am grateful to my colleagues for recognizing this by unanimously passing my bill,” said Sen. Rafferty. “While more work needs to be done, this is a big step forward in supporting survivors of domestic abuse, and I hope the Governor will support and sign this legislation.”

LD 586 would strengthen enforcement of protection orders by removing loopholes that perpetrators often take advantage of to continue to harass victims. It would also create an option for judges to provide specific locations that perpetrators cannot visit. This could include the victim’s place of employment or an address the victim frequents, such as their family members’ homes. Judges have discretion in determining specific distances and locations based on the facts of the case at hand. This fix to the existing protection statute would reassure victims that places they frequent will be safe from further harassment, especially benefitting rural victims who may be unable to avoid certain locations, such as a grocery store in a sparsely populated area.

LD 586 will now go to the desk of Gov. Janet Mills, who has 10 days to sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature.