HB 2604 Summary

• Extends the expiration period for domestic violence orders of protection from one year to two years after service on the defendant, applying to orders served after the effective date.

• Modifies emergency order of protection procedures to require judges, justices of the peace, magistrates, or commissioners to be available on a rotating basis in counties with 150,000+ population, while allowing any judicial officer to issue such orders during closed court hours in smaller counties.

• Changes emergency order of protection duration from 72 hours or the close of the next business day (whichever is longer) to seven calendar days.

• Removes requirement that a defendant arrested for domestic violence must have a release order registered with the sheriff's office within 24 hours, instead requiring registration of certified copies of release orders after arrest.