HB 6629 Summary

• Expands the definition of "family or household member" to include persons in dating relationships regardless of age, and adds "stalking" and "patterns of threatening" as grounds for restraining orders under domestic violence statutes.

• Mandates that police officers arrest suspected perpetrators of family violence crimes (with limited exceptions for self-defense) and requires officers to provide victims with information about services, regional family violence organizations offering trauma-informed care, and the right to file for protective orders.

• Establishes mandatory provisions for protective orders including criminal penalties (Class D felony for violation), requires distribution to law enforcement within 48 hours, and includes full faith and credit notification per federal law (18 USC 2265).

• Creates a pretrial family violence education program allowing first-time offenders to complete a court-approved program in lieu of prosecution, with a $100 application fee and $300 program fee (waivable for indigent defendants).

• Requires firearm seizure during family violence incidents and establishes protocols for transfer or surrender of weapons by persons ineligible to possess firearms; prohibits protected persons from being criminally liable for aiding violations of protective orders.