Push for 'Savannah’s Law' in NY aims to create domestic violence registry
The push comes as domestic violence continues to take an enormous toll across the tri-state.
A new push is underway to give people more information about who they're dating.
Grieving Suffolk County mom Bevin Llanes spoke out last fall after her 27-year-old daughter, Megan, was fatally stabbed by her boyfriend.
“I can’t let her death be for nothing,” Llanes said. “If her story can save just one life, that's a good thing.”
News 12's analysis of federal data shows more than 3.5 million women in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have experienced physical violence, stalking or sexual violence by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
Bevin's fight to prevent the next tragedy is now reaching the New York State Capitol.
State Sen. Mario Mattera, who represents Smithtown and Huntington, says he'll push legislation next session to bring a new law first adopted in Tennessee to New York.
“Just like a sex offender registry, it’s the same kind of registry,” Mattera said. “And then...if you felt uncomfortable about somebody, especially a woman...they could go on this registry, and they could go check to see if this person had a domestic violence background.”
The proposal would apply only to repeat offenders, while allowing victims to keep their identities private.
Assemblyman Steve Stern is sponsoring the Assembly bill.
“Too many signs are missed too often until it's too late,” Stern said. “And domestic violence is rarely a one-time crime...and we have every expectation that Savannah’s Law, when implemented, will save lives."
New York isn't alone. The push comes as domestic violence continues to take an enormous toll across the tri-state.
In New Jersey, lawmakers are considering requiring certain professionals, like guidance counselors, to report suspected domestic violence to police.
In Connecticut, a new law will create a single statewide system to track domestic violence cases from start to finish, helping officials identify patterns and improve their response.
