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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 30, 2022 04:18 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lisa Baker and Sen. Ryan P. Aument |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Victim Address Confidentiality Act update |
| Since 2004, victims of domestic violence or stalking have benefitted from a program that provides address confidentiality to those making the courageous decision to leave an abusive relationship. This is an important step in the journey towards safety and freedom. To date, nearly 1200 survivors have been provided with a legal, substitute mailing address they can use whenever their residential, work, or school address is required. All first class, certified, and registered mail is received at this alternate location and then forwarded to the participant’s actual address free of charge. Since the beginning of the address confidentiality program, the Office of Victim Advocate, which administers the program, has been successful in preventing assailants from using its records to locate victims, without allowing any inadvertent disclosures. But a requirement that all requests to participate be made in writing has impeded access for some and slowed the process for all. Senator Aument and I intend to modernize the Domestic and Sexual Violence Victim Address Confidentiality Act by allowing applications and supporting documents to be filed electronically and expanding the eligibility list to include victims of child abduction or human trafficking. Please join us in co-sponsoring this measure to support those fleeing violence and abuse and to assist them in beginning to rebuild their lives. |
Introduced as SB1179