HARRISBURG – Sen. Tracy Pennycuick’s (R-24) proposed Kayleigh’s Law to provide lifetime no-contact orders for victims of certain serious or violent offenses passed the state Senate today.
Senate Bill 1484 was named after Kayleigh Kozak, who spoke up about her coach sexually abusing her when she was in sixth grade. It allows a judge, upon the request of the victim or prosecutor, to issue a permanent order prohibiting the defendant from contacting the victim.
“Kayleigh is an extraordinary young woman. No victim should ever have to return to court repeatedly to renew a no-contact order or continue reliving their trauma to maintain these essential protections,” said Pennycuick.
Under current law, victims must go to court to renew no-contact protections each time they expire. Without renewal, an offender may once again attempt to contact the victim, even though the conviction, and the harm that made the protection necessary, has not changed. Unwanted contact can retraumatize victims and force them back into court to maintain a boundary the criminal justice system has already determined is necessary. This is especially true for survivors of rape and other sexually violent offenses, including offenses involving the abuse or exploitation of children.
Under Senate Bill 1484, the order would prohibit direct and indirect contact, including contact through another person or by electronic or digital means.
“Working with Sen. Pennycuick, we continue to advance this important protection, so survivors are not forced back into court just to keep a convicted offender away,” said Kayleigh Kozak. “I am proud to work in the commonwealth to ensure victims have the protections they deserve. An offender’s post-conviction conditions may change or end. A victim’s protection should never change.”
The order could be terminated or modified at the victim’s request or if the underlying conviction is overturned, dismissed or otherwise legally invalidated.
Senator Pennycuick Discusses Senate Bill 1484
CONTACT: Matthew Szuchyt (717) 787-3110