House Bill 1988

Yesterday the House passed House Bill 1988 by Representative Mando Martinez to protect victims of sexual assault from their attackers. This bill would allow a protective order for victims of sexual assault to be effective for the duration of the lives of the offender and victim, or for a shorter amount of time if specified. The bill also allow for a parent or guardian to act on behalf of a person who is 17 or younger when applying or rescinding an order for protection. I feel that this is an important bill to protect all the victims of sexual assault, but felt it necessary to add a provision to specifically guard our children against further harm. Children who are sexual assaulted have trouble enough trying to live a normal life without worry of running into the person who sexual assaulted them. Current law requires that victims of sexual assault to prove that a threat of further harm exists to receive a protective order against their assaulter. Allowing minor victims of sexual assault to be granted protective orders without proving an ongoing threat would remove a burden from children who are sexually assaulted as well as their families. My amendment to House Bill 1988 authorizes the issuance of a protective order to victims of sexual assault who are younger than 18 years of age without proving that a threat of further harm exists.