Senate bills dealing with domestic violence
By Cronkite News Service
Sen. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has introduced three bills aimed at protecting women from domestic violence:
_ SB 1068 would classify choking as aggravated assault, a Class Three felony. Under current law, choking can only be prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
_ SB 1087 would allow prosecutors to file felony charges on a second domestic violence offense instead of a third, as the current law provides.
_ SB 1088 would expand domestic violence laws to cover romantic or sexual relationships where the victim and abuser have never married, lived together or had a child together. The change would make it easier for women with abusive boyfriends to obtain protective orders.