Your Legislators: Combined Bill Directs Courts on Domestic Violence

A combined Assembly bill, sponsored by Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (D-39) and Connie Wagner (D-38), went before the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Thursday afternoon. The pair of bills, A1403 (Wagner) and A2509 (Vandervalk) would permit the courts to include animals in a domestic violence restraining order.

Vandervalk’s version, which was first introduced in March 2010, was combined with Wagner’s version. Wagner’s version, which received unanimous approval in the committee for a second reading will next be sent to the full Assembly at a later date for a vote.

The bill authorizes a court to issue an order directing the care, custody, or control of any animal owned, possessed, leased, kept, or held by either party or a minor residing in the household. Animals are not directly addressed by current domestic violence law.

The purpose of the bill is to provide specific statutory authorization for courts to issue orders covering animals in situations where a person abuses or threatens to abuse an animal as part of a domestic dispute.