PROPOSED KENTUCKY DOMESTIC RELATIONS BILL WILL ALLOW "DATING" COUPLES TO GET EMERGENCY PROTECTION ORDERS (EPOs) AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ORDERS (DVOs)

State bill would allow domestic violence orders even if couple isn't living together
Written byJessie Halladay

FRANKFORT, KY. — People who are in dating relationships, but who have never lived together, could seek protection with a domestic violence order under a bill passed from the House Wednesday afternoon.

House Bill 9, which passed 92-5, would broaden the law that allows for victims to request an emergency protective order to include those people who are in dating relationships. Current law only allows protective orders be granted to people who live or have lived together.

Rep. John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, brought the bill to the House, pointing out that only Kentucky and South Caroline do not allow protective orders in dating relationships.

Tilley, the father of three girls, said the bill will extend protection particularly for the group most vulnerable to dating violence, girls aged 16 to 24.

The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.

Last week, after testifying before the House Judiciary committee, Marcia Roth, director of the Mary Byron Project, said the bill is an essential piece of legislation that will protect people. She pointed out that many people have been killed by partners they never lived with.

While the bill has made it through the House before, it has never made it through the Senate. But Roth said she hopes this year will be different.

“The seriousness of this is evident,” Roth said last week.

Editor's note:As a Lawyer who practices Family law extensively, the only problem I see is in defining a rather amorphous term: "dating".
What is to be considered "dating" and for how long is the couple to date? Does going out to McDonald's count or does it have to be an expensive place like Red Lobster?