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Oregon Senate committee hears push for 'Hidden Homicides' law to flag domestic-violence deaths
Summary
Family members, prosecutors and national advocates urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass SB 1550, modeled on California's Joanna's Law, which would require additional investigation when research-based red flags of domestic-violence-related deaths appear and give families access to records and independent review.
SALEM — The Senate Judiciary Committee heard emotional testimony Tuesday on Senate Bill 1550, legislation that would require additional investigation and family notification when deaths with certain domestic-violence indicators appear to be suicides or accidents.
Sponsor Senator Sarah Gelster Blewins told the committee the bill is based on California's Joanna's Law and aims to "take a pause to look more carefully to ensure that it was not actually a homicide." The measure identifies 10 research-based red flags; if investigators find three of them, the bill would trigger mandatory forensic review and additional investigative steps, she said.
Families of victims detailed cases they say were prematurely closed. "I believe Kelsey was murdered and her death staged to look like a suicide, a textbook hidden homicide," testified Kelly Harris, whose daughter Kelsey Noelle Harris died in 2021; Harris said an investigator ruled the death a suicide within 14 minutes. Shelly Stager described her daughter Katie's 2020 suspicious death and told the committee Katie's case "met all 10 factors."
Gail Scribe of Alliance for Hope International, which helped win passage of Joanna's Law in California, described the law's implementation experience and said similar provisions have led to reopened investigations and better family access to records. "3 factors will trigger now an investigation and a full autopsy," Scribe said, describing Joanna's Law's structure.
Gina Skinner, a senior deputy district attorney, supported SB 1550 as a way to "slow down and improve the investigation" and to provide families access to photographs, crime-scene information and records that may support independent review or further prosecution. Multiple advocacy groups — including the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Clackamas Women's Services — urged the committee to support the bill as an accountability and prevention measure.
Committee counsel and witnesses said technical amendments are forthcoming to address district-attorney feedback and to ensure timing and referral language is precise. Because Tuesday's session was an informational hearing, the committee took testimony but did not vote on SB 1550. The chair said additional hearings will be scheduled.
