The SHIELD for Victims Act of 2026 directs the Attorney General to develop and publish an evidence-based lethality assessment tool within one year, designed to help law enforcement identify domestic violence victims at high risk of serious injury or death and connect them with support services. The bill requires Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers to provide initial training on this tool to covered federal officers, along with mandatory refresher courses every three years. Additionally, the Secretary of Homeland Security must submit a report to Congress within 180 days outlining a plan to ensure federal officers are linked to local domestic violence resources when using the assessment program.
The Kids Safety on Set Act of 2026 mandates that adults with supervisory roles or frequent private contact with minors on entertainment productions must pass a criminal background check within 90 days before starting work. This check, which costs no more than $100 and is paid by the production company, specifically screens for offenses involving sex, violence, stalking, or minors. If a production employs someone who fails to meet this requirement, the Attorney General can seek a civil penalty of up to twice the cost of that person's project involvement. Additionally, the law requires an immediate halt to all production activities involving the non-compliant employee until they are terminated and stripped of any ownership interest greater than 2 percent in the project.
The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act expands federal firearm restrictions to include individuals subject to any domestic violence restraining order, including temporary or emergency orders issued without the abuser's presence. It broadens the legal definition of an "intimate partner" to cover dating partners and other relationships protected by state laws, closing previous loopholes that allowed some abusers to keep guns. The bill also creates a federal grant program for states and tribes to fund the removal, storage, and return of firearms from individuals subject to these orders, requiring them to partner with local domestic violence service providers to ensure victim safety.
Pennsylvania House Bill 2730 amends state law to strengthen address confidentiality for victims of domestic and sexual violence who participate in the state's Address Confidentiality Program. The bill requires private entities, such as banks and real estate companies, to accept a designated substitute address instead of the participant's actual home or work location, with specific exceptions for certain registered offenders. It also allows program participants to request that their real property records be shielded from public inspection when they buy land or a house, ensuring their true address remains hidden in county deed records. Finally, the legislation establishes a detailed process for government agencies and private entities to request access to a participant's actual address, requiring them to prove a specific need and implement safeguards to protect that information once disclosed.
Prohibits operators of a website, application, software, program, or service from allowing users to nudify a still or video image; prohibits advertising or promoting websites, applications, software, programs, or services that allow users to nudify a still or video image; provides an exception when technical skill is required to nudify an image; establishes penalties for violations of such provisions; establishes the nudification prohibition recoveries services fund to provide grants to support the direct needs of victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.
The Lori Jackson-Nicolette Elias Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act aims to reduce intimate partner homicides by strengthening federal laws that prevent abusers from accessing firearms while restraining orders are active. It expands the definition of "intimate partner" to include dating partners and clarifies that emergency or temporary restraining orders must also trigger gun restrictions. The bill requires courts to automatically issue firearm surrender orders when a protection order is granted, mandating that abusers turn in their guns within 24 hours and prohibiting them from buying new ones for the duration of the order. Additionally, the legislation creates a new grant program to help states and local governments implement these surrender procedures and partner with domestic violence service providers.
This bill allows rural law enforcement agencies with fewer than 50 officers to receive free training grants from the Department of Justice. Instead of applying directly, these agencies can pool their funding with neighboring departments to hire accredited nonprofit organizations to deliver the training. The program specifically covers topics such as de-escalation, officer wellness, leadership, and handling situations involving mental health crises or domestic violence. By simplifying the application process and removing reporting burdens, the legislation aims to help smaller agencies access resources they previously lacked.
