State & National

Florida law stiffening domestic violence penalties takes effect July 1

A new state law, House Bill 277, will take effect July 1, making it a felony to violate a domestic violence restraining order a second time. The legislation, which passed the Florida legislature unanimously, also establishes a statewide domestic violence database and classifies animal abuse as a domestic crime under certain circumstances. First responders have indicated the centralized database will significantly improve their ability to identify repeat offenders.

Sources: WCJB TV20