An advocate against crimes committed against women and children, Assemblyman Mike Norris (R,C,I,Ref-Lockport) this week helped pass a legislative package to prevent and protect against domestic violence in New York State. The assemblyman has long championed the Domestic Violence Prevention Act – Brittany’s Law, and worked together with local shelters and women’s organizations, like the YWCA, to help raise awareness to stop domestic violence in our community.

“It is heartbreaking that someone could commit such crimes and, while I believe they should be punished to the full extent of the law, I also believe we must do more to help the victims of domestic violence and to educate the public to help prevent the crimes from happening in the first place and that’s why I was so proud to vote in support of this legislative package,” Norris said.

Included in the legislative package Norris voted for this week are bills that would help domestic violence survivors escape unsafe housing by allowing them to leave a lease early (A.4267) and terminate telephone and cable contracts without facing cancellation penalties (A.5318). He also supported measures to help victims more easily seek medical attention and aid without fear of their abuser finding out (A.2832; A.2850-A).

Norris called on his colleagues to bring to a vote the Domestic Violence Prevention Act – Brittany’s Law to create a public statewide database of violent felons living in your community. The bill is named after a 12-year-old girl who was murdered in a gruesome incident of domestic violence that also resulted in her mother’s murder. To help Norris bring this bill into enactment, you can sign his petition at www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Michael-J-Norris/story/74400. He said he also believes recommendations gathered from his Conference’s 2017 Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force should be implemented as well, including measures to increase funding for temporary housing and shelters to allow a victim to stay in a shelter for an extended period. To learn more about the task force and its recommendations, please go to the Web site.

Norris encourages anyone who is suffering from domestic violence to reach out for immediate help. Talk to a teacher, religious leader, law enforcement, friend or neighbor, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).