Release:

Rep. Yasmin Neal’s Legislation to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence Signed Into Law

ATLANTA – State Representative Yasmin Neal (D-Jonesboro) recently announced that Governor Brian Kemp recently signed her bill, House Bill 236, into law. Sponsored by Rep. Neal, HB 236 seeks to provide further protection to victims who have been granted a temporary protective order.

“Thank you Governor Kemp and many others on this journey of bipartisanship,” said Rep. Neal. “Honored and humbled that every single member of the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, supported my bill. It’s a great day for victims, victims’ rights and proactive measures that reference public safety. I look forward to working on good legislation and moving forward on some of my other initiatives sooner than later. We have more work to do.”

Under House Bill 236, when a temporary protective order is granted for relief from family violence, the petitioner may request periodic safety checks from local law enforcement officers. These safety checks include observations of the outside of the petitioner’s residence and an officer’s presence nearby the petitioner’s residence. To request these safety checks, a petitioner is required to provide a copy of the temporary protective order to his or her local law enforcement agency. Requested safety checks last a total of 60 days, and the frequency of the safety checks is at the discretion of the local police agency. Prior to the 60-day period ending, the petitioner can withdraw his or her request, or the local police agency may determine that the petitioner no longer appears to require the safety checks.

For more information on HB 236, please click here.

Representative Yasmin Neal represents the citizens of District 74, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Juvenile Justice and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees.