What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed eight bills into law today to help protect victims of domestic abuse and violence, including by creating a new victims’ services fund maintained by penalties from white-collar crimes and expanding the ability of victims to access restraining orders. 

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he signed a bipartisan package of bills into law to protect crime victims, including victims of domestic abuse. The new laws will help build on California’s protections for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, creating additional resources and access to safeguard victims from abusers.

“I am proud to sign these laws to help victims escape their abusers and provide them with financial tools and security to rebuild their lives. Today, we are putting into place new resources to support survivors and secure justice to hold abusers accountable.” - Governor Gavin Newsom

“Domestic violence continues to disproportionately impact women, leaving many survivors trapped in cycles of abuse with limited resources to escape. This burden is not just felt in broken bodies and hearts, but in economic devastation that undermines women’s independence and security. I applaud the Governor and the Legislature for centering survivors and creating new pathways for their safety, support, and justice.” - First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom

The new laws will help build on California’s protections for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, creating additional resources and access to safeguard victims from abusers. With his signature, Governor Newsom is strengthening California’s restraining orders by removing barriers that could prevent someone from accessing these life-saving tools and by extending the length of time that abusers must stay away from their victims. The new laws will also help survivors rebuild their lives - by providing financial help through a victims’ restitution fund that would be funded by the penalties recovered from white-collar criminals.

What the new laws do

CREATE A NEW CRIME VICTIM RESTITUTION FUND to provide critical support and services to victims and survivors of crimes across the state - including those who have experienced domestic abuse. The new program will be modeled after the federal Victims of Crime Act program, funded with penalties paid by corporate white-collar criminals.

EXPAND ACCESS TO RESTRAINING ORDERS and help to ensure that all restraining order applications will be processed without delay, extending the time that a court can issue a post-conviction protective order, and removing geographic barriers that could prevent victims from getting the protection they need. 

PROTECT VICTIMS FROM TRACKING by requiring car manufacturers to allow drivers to terminate remote access to a vehicle, preventing abusers from tracking victims and even manipulating controls of the vehicle. 

EXTEND THE TIME A VICTIM CAN REPORT ABUSE by expanding the statute of limitations to charge an individual with domestic violence, allowing abuse to be reported within seven years of the incident.

HELP SECURE JUSTICE FOR DOMESTIC-HOMICIDE VICTIMS and prevent cases from being improperly classified as suicides by equipping investigators and family members of victims with more tools to intervene and identify domestic violence-related deaths. 

SAFEGUARD VICTIMS FROM FINANCIAL ABUSE by addressing and building awareness about financial insecurity and manipulation that often prevents victims from exiting an abusive or violent situation and helping to create online resources to help victims leave while protecting their assets and resources. 

Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence, is abuse that occurs in a close relationship with a current or former spouse or dating partner. Domestic violence refers to a range of behaviors that include physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse. Economic control is also a form of domestic violence, as it can be used against a current or former partner in an attempt to exercise power and authority. 

Domestic violence affects all ages and socioeconomic groups.

- 1 in 5 women and 1 in 7 men report having experienced severe physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime.
- 1 in 6 homicide victims are killed by an intimate partner.
- Victims can also experience mental health problems such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder and can engage in risky behaviors such as smoking, binge drinking, and sexual risk behaviors.
- The estimated domestic violence cost over a female victim’s lifetime is $103,767 and $23,414 for a male victim.

Today, Governor Newsom signed the following bills to help address domestic violence and protect victims:

- AB 2024 by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco (D-Downey) - Domestic violence: restraining orders
- AB 2308 by Assemblymember Laurie Davies (R-Laguna Niguel) - Domestic violence: protective orders
- AB 2422 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) - Department of Financial Protection and Innovation: online resources: financial abuse: domestic violence victims
- AB 2432 by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) - California Victims of Crime Act
- SB 554 by Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) - Restraining orders
- SB 690 by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) - Domestic violence
- SB 989 by Senator Angelique Ashby (D-Sacramento) - Domestic violence: deaths
- SB 1394 by Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) - Access to connected vehicle service