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Dating Violence Legislation Approved

After years of debate in Frankfort, the state legislature has approved a measure to add civil protections for dating couples. The legislation has passed in the Democratic House numerous times, but fallen short in the Republican led Senate.

Louisville Representative Joni Jenkins, who worked at the Center for Women and Families for a decade, called the passage a 'long time coming.' "I know that this is gonna be a great tool for especially college campuses, whereas none of those protections would have applied to folks,” said Jenkins. “Now college campuses have this new tool to use to keep people who need to be, kept apart."

Jenkins says providing an avenue for protective orders can help in changing behavior. "And that first encounter in a civil, not a criminal proceeding, can change behavior,” added Jenkins. “It's much easier to change a young man or woman's behavior at 18 or 20 than it is at 40."

The dating violence bill now goes to Governor Beshear for his signature.

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