This legislation expands the definition of domestic abuse to include coercive control for the purpose of obtaining a restraining order. Domestic violence is not always physical—it can be insidious, controlling, and emotionally damaging.

Coercive control is a nonphysical form of abuse intended to restrict someone’s safety and autonomy, often through financial, technological, and emotional means. It seeks to make someone feel powerless and dependent on their abuser. Examples include:

• Threatening to share explicit images

• Monitoring or restricting communications and access to services

• Isolating a family or household member from friends or relatives

• Threatening to harm a child or family pet

The legislation also extends the statute of limitations for assault and battery on a family or household member—or against someone with an active protective order—from six years to 15 years. This aligns domestic violence offenses with the statute of limitations for rape, assault with intent to commit rape, and sex trafficking. Survivors often need several years to recognize and process the trauma they have endured before seeking legal protections. Extending the statute of limitations ensures survivors have sufficient time to seek justice.

Impact or how it will be measured:

The need for this legislation is informed by firsthand experience representing domestic violence survivors. The Leader worked as a legal services attorney assisting domestic violence survivors and their clients suffered emotional trauma and financial hardship through fear and manipulation. The goal is to ensure that courts across the state recognize coercive control as a form of abuse and apply the law uniformly.

The Attorney General’s Office is overseeing implementation, which includes education and training for the courts, law enforcement, and other stakeholders to ensure consistent application and understanding of the new law.