FRANKFORT, KY – Secretary of State Michael Adams and Senator Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, have announced the introduction of Senate Bill 79, the Safe at Home Act, aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and other sexual offense.
SB 79 would bolster the Secretary of State’s Address Confidentiality Program by allowing victims of domestic violence to participate in the program without a protective order, and to mask their addresses on publicly available government records, beyond just the voter rolls.
“While government must be transparent, we must also protect personal privacy, particularly for victims of domestic violence,” said Adams. “We will not allow the threat of stalking to become a form of voter suppression.”
Raque Adams has been a staunch advocate of women, families and vulnerable children since her election in the House in 2001 and then in her current Senate seat since 2015.
“Not only does Kentucky continue to have a high number of child abuse cases, we also have the second-highest rate of domestic violence among the 50 states. Forty-five percent of women and 36 percent of men in Kentucky have experienced domestic violence,” said Raque Adams. “It’s a privilege to bring forth Senate Bill 79, Safe at Home legislation, to expand Kentucky’s ACP with thoughtful legislation that protects victims and provides them some degree of peace once relocating after a harrowing experience.
“Today’s world of technology, internet searches, and the wealth of personal information stored in public records databases can make it that much more difficult, sometimes even impossible, for a survivor to keep their location private,” said Angela Yannelli, CEO of the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Not all survivors need to do so. But for those survivors who live in daily fear that their ex-partner will somehow find them, Senate Bill 79, and the Safe at Home Program, will provide a valuable tool to helping them stay safe.”
In lieu of a protective order, participants would sign a sworn statement, bringing Kentucky in line with other states. Research from the University of Kentucky shows that often victims choose not to pursue protective orders in fear they will reveal their address or be ineffective.
The program would be administered by the Secretary of State’s Office. Participants in the program would use the Safe at Home address in place of their actual physical address for a state-registered address.
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