Senate passes ‘HAVEN Act’ to expand state protections for victims of domestic, dating violence

Two bills aimed at expanding protections for victims of domestic and dating violence are heading to the House after winning uniform approval on the Senate floor.

The measures (SB 296, SB 298) would extend to dating violence victims safeguards available now to domestic violence victims and initiate development of a first-of-its-kind alert system that would notify police of escalating incidents.

Those changes are sorely needed, said the bills’ sponsor, Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, who in 2023 passed Greyson’s Law to safeguard children at risk of parental harm.

“I’m so tired of hearing from parents who thank me for Greyson’s Law, but tell me that they’re still afraid when they bring their children for time-sharing. I’m tired of hearing the stories of victims of domestic violence, who tell us what happened when they tried to dial 911 and the violence escalated,” she said.

“Most of all, I’m tired of watching the news and seeing another story of a domestic violence homicide or a domestic violence murder-suicide. … I know that we can’t legislate our way out of this crisis. But I also know that we as legislators can send a message, and we can do all we can to protect victims.”

SB 296, dubbed the “Helping Abuse Victims Escape Now (HAVEN) Act,” would expand state protections for victims of dating violence by formally defining the term in statute and extending existing domestic violence safeguards to cover those victims.

The measure would also direct the state to study the feasibility of a web-based 911 alert system that would enable domestic violence victims to discreetly signal law enforcement during emergencies.

Under the proposed program, victims would receive an individualized phone number they could call when in fear for their lives, rather than the standard 911 number that can sometimes take longer to process.

Further, the measure would allow dating violence victims to participate in Florida’s Address Confidentiality Program, shielding their locations from public records and expanding assistance through designated agencies.

SB 298, meanwhile, would help to effectuate that last provision by expanding public records exemptions under the confidentiality program to exempt participating dating violence victims’ names, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, voter registration records and voting records.

The protections would apply retroactively and remain in place until 2031, unless the Legislature renews them.

According to the Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness, 75% of domestic violence-related homicides occur after separation, meaning victims are most at risk of severe harm after they leave their abuser.

“We need to make it safer for them,” Berman said.

Berman briefly related how, when she began work on the legislation, she sought support and feedback from law enforcement. One of the first things she heard was that there is a need for an improved alert system like the one SB 296 contemplates.

“This is a new idea that we are putting together, just like we do with schools, where we have an emergency panic button,” she said. “Florida would be the first in the nation to put this system into place. This bill calls for the feasibility study to figure out what we can do so that people who are in a domestic violence situation don’t have to call 911, don’t have to escalate the crisis, but have an avenue that they can get out of these situations.”

A related House bill (HB 269) by Highland Beach Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman awaits a hearing before the first of three committees to which it was referred.

State lawmakers are also advancing another set of bills (SB 682, HB 277) by Miami Republican Sen. Alexis Calatayud, Democratic Rep. Debra Tendrich and Placida Republican Rep. Danny Nix that would expand and strengthen other protections against domestic violence.

Among other things, those bills would enhance sentencing for repeat violations of protective injunctions, require better 911 recordkeeping of homes with prior domestic violence incidents, mandate domestic violence training for paramedics and firefighters, and increase an existing state relocation allowance from $1,500 to $2,500.