Categories: Human Right's

Monica's Law Passes House Floor

On November 29, 2015, Monica Deming was shot and murdered in her Odessa home by her ex-boyfriend, Brandon Leyva, who then killed himself.  In the aftermath of the homicide, news organizations learned Leyva had previously been accused of domestic violence in by his ex-wife, in incidents dating back as far as 2003, with two protective orders having been issued against Leyva in 2003 and again in 2012.
Without easy access to what is already public information, Deming was completely unaware of Leyva’s violent past.  In the aftermath of Deming’s death, her father, Jon Nielson, sought out State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R – Odessa), and urged him to pass a law to protect other women from experiencing this tragedy, through the creation of a public, online registry of orders of protection arising out of domestic violence incidents.
Rep. Landgraf first filed Monica’s Law, in 2017, during the 85th Regular Session. The bill passed through the Criminal and Jurisprudence committee unanimously, but did not advance to a floor vote in the House, and never received a committee hearing in the Senate.
Rep. Landgraf re-filed Monica’s Law (HB 629) in the 86th Regular Session.  Its companion bill, SB 325, passed unanimously through the Senate on April 9, 2019 and passed by a 137-6 vote in the House on April 29, 2019.
Rep. Landgraf told CBS7, “Monica’s Law cannot go back and save Monica’s life, or take away her family’s grief, but it can help prevent others from entering into tragically abusive relationships that can lead to physical violence, and worse, death, and it gives law enforcement officers an additional tool to understand threats posed by those with a history of domestic violence.”
Only six House legislators voted against the bill – Matt Krause (R – Fort Worth), Matt Schaefer (R – Tyler), Valoree Swanson (R – Spring), Tony Tinderholt (R – Arlington), Terry Wilson (R – Marble Falls), and Bill Zedler (R – Arlington).  Swanson subsequently issued a Statement of Vote, where she claimed she had intended to vote yes.
None of these legislators spoke in opposition to the legislation on the floor, so their motivations remain unclear, but these legislators have a history of voting against strengthening protections for women in Texas, especially when it comes to domestic violence.

Currently, the bill is before Governor Greg Abbott. If he does not veto the bill within 10 days, the bill will become law without his signature.  If enacted, Monica’s Law will go into effect on September 1, 2019.
 

RA Staff

Written by RA News staff.

Recent Posts

Talarico Raises $6.2M in Three Weeks, Outpacing Allred

State Rep. James Talarico raised $6.2 million…

3 hours ago

Texas Lottery Will Decide Recipients of New School Voucher Program

Texas families may be able to start…

3 hours ago

Texas Oil and Gas Outlook Turns Pessimistic Amid Rising Costs

Despite a recent uptick in oil prices,…

6 hours ago

Texas Tech Restricts Gender Identity Discussions, Raising Academic Freedom Concerns

Texas Tech Gender Identity Policy Limits Classroom…

1 day ago

Shifting Power in Texas: Open Seats and New Challengers Test GOP Stronghold

After a decade of entrenched incumbents, Texas…

1 day ago

This website uses cookies.