Bill Summary
The "Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025" aims to enhance legal protections for individuals affected by intimate partner violence and stalking. Key provisions include:
1. **Definition Expansion**: The bill broadens the legal definition of "intimate partner" to encompass current and former dating partners, ensuring that individuals in dating relationships are afforded the same protections as spouses under domestic violence laws.
2. **Inclusion of Children**: It stipulates that the definition of "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" will also apply to incidents involving the children of dating partners, thereby recognizing the impact of domestic violence on family dynamics.
3. **Stalking Offenses**: The legislation introduces a formal definition for "misdemeanor crime of stalking," which includes harassment or intimidation that instills fear or causes emotional distress to the victim or their close associates, including pets.
4. **Prohibitions on Firearm Access**: Individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms, enhancing safety measures for victims.
Overall, the bill seeks to strengthen legal frameworks around domestic violence and stalking, providing more comprehensive protections and recognizing the complexities of modern relationships.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025" could affect people:
1. **Expanded Legal Protections for Dating Partners**: By including individuals in current or former dating relationships under the definition of "intimate partner," the legislation provides greater legal protections for those who experience intimate partner violence. This means that individuals who may have previously been excluded from protections (because their relationship was not legally recognized as a marriage or cohabitation) can now seek legal recourse and support, such as restraining orders or access to domestic violence shelters.
2. **Increased Accountability for Misdemeanor Crimes of Stalking**: The bill introduces a clearer definition of "misdemeanor crime of stalking," which includes actions that cause emotional distress or fear of harm to the victim or their loved ones. This change can lead to more perpetrators being held accountable for their actions, as victims will have a better framework through which to report and prosecute stalking incidents. It may also encourage more victims to come forward, knowing that the law specifically recognizes their experiences.
3. **Impact on Firearm Possession for Perpetrators**: The legislation establishes new prohibitions on firearm possession for individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking. This could reduce the risk of further violence by limiting access to firearms for those who have demonstrated a pattern of harassing or threatening behavior. As a result, communities may see a decline in gun-related incidents involving stalking victims, contributing to overall public safety and the well-being of survivors.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2196 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2196
To amend title 18, United States Code, to define intimate partner to
include someone with whom there is or was a dating relationship, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26 (legislative day, June 24), 2025
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Welch, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Markey, and Ms. Hirono) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 18, United States Code, to define intimate partner to
include someone with whom there is or was a dating relationship, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Protections for
Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. ADDRESSING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE.
(a) Inclusion of Current and Former Dating Partners in Definition
of ``Intimate Partner''.--Section 921(a) of title 18, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (32)--
(A) by striking ``and an individual'' and inserting
``an individual''; and
(B) by inserting before the period at the end the
following: ``, an individual who is or was in a dating
relationship with the person, or any other individual
similarly situated to a spouse, including an individual
who is protected by the domestic or family violence
laws of the State or Tribal jurisdiction in which the
abuse occurred or the victim resides'';
(2) by striking paragraph (37)(A) and inserting the
following:
``(37)(A) The term `dating relationship' means a relationship
between individuals who have or have had, or in the case of a
misdemeanor crime of domestic violence have or have recently had, a
continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature.'';
and
(3) in paragraph (37)(C), by striking ``dating
relationship'' and inserting ``continuing serious
relationship''.
(b) Inclusion of Dating Partners' Children in Definition of
``Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence''.--Section 921(a)(33)(A)(ii)
of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``victim, or by a person'' and inserting
``victim, by a person''; and
(2) by inserting ``, or by a person who has a current or
recent former dating relationship with the parent, guardian, or
person similarly situated to a parent or guardian of the
victim'' before the period at the end.
(c) New Prohibitor for Misdemeanor Crimes of Stalking.--Chapter 44
of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 921(a), by adding at the end the following:
``(39)(A) Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), the term
`misdemeanor crime of stalking' means an offense that--
``(i) is a misdemeanor under Federal, State, Tribal, or
local law; and
``(ii) has as an element a course of harassment,
intimidation, or surveillance that--
``(I) places a person in reasonable fear of actual
harm to the health or safety of--
``(aa) that person;
``(bb) an immediate family member (as
defined in section 115) of that person;
``(cc) an individual who shares or has
shared a residence with that person, without
regard to whether the individual is related to
that person;
``(dd) an intimate partner of that person;
or
``(ee) the pet, service animal, or
emotional support animal (as those terms are
defined in section 2266) of that person; or
``(II) causes, attempts to cause, or would
reasonably be expected to cause emotional distress to a
person described in item (aa), (bb), (cc), or (dd) of
subclause (I).
``(B) A person shall not be considered to have been convicted of
such an offense for purposes of this chapter, unless--
``(i) the person was represented by counsel in the case, or
knowingly and intelligently waived the right to counsel in the
case; and
``(ii) in the case of a prosecution for an offense
described in this paragraph for which a person was entitled to
a jury trial in the jurisdiction in which the case was tried,
either--
``(I) the case was tried by a jury; or
``(II) the person knowingly and intelligently
waived the right to have the case tried by a jury, by
guilty plea or otherwise.
``(C) A person shall not be considered to have been convicted of
such an offense for purposes of this chapter if the conviction has been
expunged or set aside, or is an offense for which the person has been
pardoned or has had civil rights restored (if the law of the applicable
jurisdiction provides for the loss of civil rights under such an
offense) unless the pardon, expungement, or restoration of civil rights
expressly provides that the person may not ship, transport, possess, or
receive firearms.''; and
(2) in section 922--
(A) in subsection (d)--
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and
(11) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively;
(ii) by inserting after paragraph (9) the
following:
``(10) has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor
crime of stalking;''; and
(iii) in paragraph (12), as so
redesignated, by striking ``(10)'' and
inserting ``(11)''; and
(B) in subsection (g)--
(i) in paragraph (8), by striking ``or'' at
the end;
(ii) in paragraph (9), by striking the
comma at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(iii) by inserting after paragraph (9) the
following:
``(10) has been convicted in any court of a misdemeanor
crime of stalking,''.
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