Bill Modernizing Ohio Domestic Violence Laws to Cover Dating Violence Passes House

According to an article on wkyc.com, last week, the

Ohio House of Representatives... passed HB 392, legislation to modernize Ohio’s domestic violence laws, according to a press release from State Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes. House Bill 392 passed the House with bipartisan support with a vote of 89-0. The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.

The bill would allow "victims of domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner to obtain civil protective orders against their attacker." Currently, a domestic violence victim in a dating relationship cannot obtain such a protective order under Ohio law.

Currently, Ohio is one of only two states -- Georgia being the other -- with domestic violence laws that

do not cover dating violence under their domestic violence laws. Kentucky, the last Ohio border state to expand protections, signed a domestic violence modernization bill into law last year.

This "leaves thousands of Ohioans without recourse in the event of domestic violence," according to State Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes, who co-sponsored the bill with Christie Kuhns.

“The most dangerous moment for a victim of domestic violence is when they try to separate from their abuser,” said Sykes. “By modernizing Ohio’s domestic violence laws to include individuals in serious dating relationships, we can help victims in any abusive relationship access the recourse they need to end the cycle of violence.”

This is a great move by Ohio, and I hope that Georgia soon follows suit.

-CM