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House creates statewide volunteer network to support domestic‑violence victims
Summary
H.B. 201 established a statewide network of volunteers to provide advocacy to victims of domestic violence, following years of task‑force work and a small initial study appropriation; the House passed the bill 68–0 and sent it to the Senate.
The House unanimously passed H.B. 201, a bill to establish a statewide network of volunteers to offer immediate advocacy and assistance to victims of domestic violence.
Sponsor Representative Almont Evans described H.B. 201 as the product of several years of study and task-force work. He said the body funded a study in 1991 (cited as $10,000) to develop program materials and pilot frameworks. The bill tasks the Division of Social Services (or relevant human-services authority) with contracting for implementation so that volunteer advocates can be trained and deployed to assist victims in crisis.
Representative Joanne Milner and others rose in support on the floor, noting the severity and prevalence of domestic violence and urging passage. The House opened and closed the vote; H.B. 201 received 68 affirmative votes, 0 negatives, and will be forwarded to the Senate for further consideration.
The transcript emphasizes the program’s sensitive nature and the need for carefully designed training and confidentiality protections; it also references prior mandatory-arrest and task-force steps taken by the legislature in 1989–1991 to address domestic violence.
Next step: the bill moves to the Senate; sponsors indicated an intent to use contract authority in the Division of Social Services for program rollout.
