Florida Introduces Groundbreaking Domestic Violence Alert System

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Florida lawmakers are currently examining the HAVEN Act, a new bill that would introduce the country's first emergency code and phone number system for victims of domestic violence. The legislation also establishes state and local coordinating councils to streamline victim services and expand the Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program.

Why it matters

Domestic violence remains a persistent and devastating issue, with many victims facing significant barriers to accessing help and support. The HAVEN Act represents a novel approach to empowering victims and improving coordination of resources at the state and local levels.

The details

The Helping Advocate for Victims in Every Neighborhood (HAVEN) Act would give domestic violence victims special emergency codes and phone numbers to discreetly seek help. It also establishes the HAVEN Coordinating Council within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to coordinate local and state efforts, as well as allows individual counties to set up their own HAVEN councils to provide community-based resources. Additionally, the act expands the Attorney General's Address Confidentiality Program to include victims of dating violence, enabling them to keep their public records confidential.

• On February 12, a House committee approved HB 269, sponsored by Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman.
• If the bill passes the full House and is signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, the law would come into effect this July.

What’s next

The bill needs to pass the entire Florida House before it can be sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for his final signature. If everything goes smoothly, the law would come into effect this July.