Follow Up on Amanda's Law

In looking back over my blog (besides noting that I have not posted recently) I also realized I never followed up on my previous post on Amanda's Law. Actually, that particular post was brought to my attention by someone who thought I was somehow opposed to domestic violence protections. Let me be clear, I am not opposed to domestic violence protections for those who need it. However, I was (and remain) opposed to the idea of allowing domestic violence orders to be imposed where the parties are only in a dating relationship. The reason being is that "dating relationship" is much more difficult to define than the current definition of "unmarried couple." A member of an unmarried couple requires that the parties actually live or lived to together or have a child in common.

Amanda's Law, as it was passed, amended or created nineteen statutes involving civil and criminal cases. Numerous changes were made involving the timeline of a domestic violence case, service of process of an emergency order, and additional penalties for serious violators that can include requiring a perpetrator be required to wear a global positioning monitoring device if he/she commits a serious violation. The statutes that were amended are KRS 15.334, KRS403.720, KRS 403.740, KRS403.750, KRS 431.005, KRS 431.517, KRS 431.518, KRS 431.520, KRS 533.030 and KRS 533.250, and created KRS 67.372, KRS 67.374, KRS 403.741, KRS 403.743, KRS 403.747, KRS 403.761, KRS 403.762, and KRS 511.085.

The unfortunate reality is that the law as it was passed would not have prevented the tragic death of Amanda Ross for whom it is named. Nevertheless, the changes do provide several new options and protections for victims in Kentucky.