State Senate Passes Senator Roth’s Proposals Protecting Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

(Sacramento, CA) – Today, Senator Richard D. Roth's (D-Riverside) proposals protecting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence each passed the California State Senate on bipartisan, unanimous votes.  Senate Bill 870 passed on a 39-0 vote, and Senate Bill 883 passed on a 38-0 vote.

“I thank my colleagues for joining me in standing with the victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence,” said Senator Roth. “Providing law enforcement with the tools they need to protect victims and survivors of these horrific crimes is critical to ensuring our homes and neighborhoods are safe, and I will continue standing up for victims and survivors throughout our region and state.”

SB 870 and SB 883, sponsored by the Riverside County District Attorney and supported by a coalition of public safety organizations, ensure the law is on the side of victims and survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence by providing law enforcement with the tools it needs to protect them. 

Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin said: "Both SB 870 and 883 are commonsense measures that will allow law enforcement to better protect victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. I thank Senator Roth for championing these important measures that will give law enforcement throughout our state the legal tools necessary to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens."

Both bills now head to the State Assembly for consideration.

Senator Roth continued:  “I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly to pass these common sense measures and sending them to the Governor for his signature.”

For more details on SB 870 and SB 883, please see below:

SB 870
Research has shown that a survivor of strangulation is eight times more likely to be a victim of homicide, with nearly 1 out of 4 domestic violence cases involving strangulation.  Strangulation violence is one of the most lethal forms of violence in domestic violence and sexual assault cases, but despite this, current law does not separate acts of domestic violence that involve strangulation from those that do not, making it difficult for law enforcement to prevent and prosecute these cases.

Senator Roth's SB 870 ensures the law makes this important distinction, ensuring law enforcement has the legal tools it needs to effectively prosecute and prevent domestic violence and homicide. It is sponsored by the Riverside County District Attorney and supported by the California District Attorneys Association, the California Police Chiefs Association and the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC).

SB 883
Vigorous enforcement of protective order violations has been shown to be an effective tool in both protecting victims and in ensuring offender accountability. Under current law, a defendant whose more serious offense lands them in state prison receives less of a consequence for violation of the protective order than a defendant on probation. Senator Roth's SB 883 makes all violations of all criminal restraining orders punishable in the same manner. It is sponsored by the Riverside County District Attorney and supported by the California District Attorneys Association.

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