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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 26, 2023 10:32 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Anita Astorino Kulik and Rep. Natalie Mihalek |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Alina’s Law: Electronic Monitoring for Protection from Abuse Orders |
| In 2017, University of Pittsburgh student Alina Sheykhet was a victim of the flaws in our state’s Protection from Abuse (PFA) system. After breaking into her apartment, Alina’s ex-boyfriend murdered her after previously being served a protection from abuse order. If law enforcement had been able to monitor his activity, Alina could still be alive and well today. As a result of domestic violence, 112 individuals lost their lives in 2021 – far too many. To address this issue, our legislation would allow judges to order a PFA defendant to wear an electronic monitoring device if they are found to present a substantial risk of violating their PFA order. If an abuse survivor bravely takes on the process to obtain a PFA, the state must do its part in ensuring that PFA is not violated. Alina’s tragic death does not need to be repeated – survivors of abuse should not have to live in fear as they wait for a court date. Without this commonsense legislation, some survivors may never see their day in court. Please join us in further preventing senseless trauma and violence at the hands of dangerous abusers. |
Introduced as HB1150