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Senate Judiciary reviews bill to expand Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission's remit
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee discussed H27 on April 17, which would allow the state's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission to review near-fatal incidents, ask appointing authorities to consider diversity when naming members, and add several new commission seats; no final vote was recorded.
The Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed House Bill 27 during its April 17 meeting, discussing proposed changes to the state's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission that would broaden the types of incidents it can examine, encourage more diverse appointments and add several new member slots.
Committee members heard an explanation of H27 from staff representing the Office of Legislative Counsel. The bill would permit the commission, which is created in statute and reviews domestic-violence-related deaths to identify system failures and prevention opportunities, to consider certain near-fatal incidents in addition to fatalities. The committee was told that the proposed language leaves the selection of near-fatal cases discretionary rather than defining a strict statutory standard.
Sponsors also described two other principal changes in the bill. First, appointing authorities would be asked to consider diversity when making appointments so the commission better reflects the communities it serves; the proposal does not establish quotas or numerical mandates. Second, the bill adds multiple new seats to the commission. Committee staff listed the additional positions as a sheriff with experience or an interest in combating domestic violence, a restorative-justice practitioner, a director of victim services, a representative of the state police, the executive director of the Center for Crime Victim Services, a state's attorney victim advocate, and the director of victim services for the Department of Corrections.
Committee members asked for clarification about specific wording. One senator questioned the phrase "a sheriff with experience and interest in combating domestic violence," noting that "interest" is broad and asked whether the language should instead specify experience investigating or working on domestic-violence cases. Staff said the phrasing reflects recommendations from the commission's February 2023 report and that the committee could elect to narrow the wording if it preferred. Members also discussed whether to define "near fatal" more precisely; staff said the commission and House Judiciary had considered defining it but left the term discretionary to give the commission flexibility in choosing cases it deems valuable for holistic review.
No formal vote on H27 was recorded at the meeting. Staff indicated the committee could take the measure up for a vote later in the day or at a subsequent session, and members requested follow-up materials and notification about the reporter and scheduling.
The discussion combined technical drafting questions about membership language with larger policy choices about the commission's scope and composition. The bill would change who reviews incidents and which incidents are within the commission's review authority, but it does not itself alter criminal statutes or create new criminal penalties.
The committee did not reach a final decision during the discussion; staff and members agreed to circulate additional information before any vote.
