House Bill No. 1273 amends existing laws concerning domestic violence, particularly focusing on the penalties for assault and battery against intimate partners or household members. The bill removes the mandatory counseling requirement for individuals convicted of domestic abuse and instead allows the Attorney General to certify specific batterers intervention pilot programs, which must meet established criteria and undergo annual evaluations. It also introduces a risk assessment for participants and prohibits shared participation between survivors and perpetrators in these programs. The legislation emphasizes compliance with these programs, mandating a minimum participation of fifty-two weeks, with provisions for third-party evaluations and potential extensions.

Additionally, the bill outlines conditions for delaying sentencing based on compliance with the newly established intervention programs and introduces harsher penalties for domestic abuse by strangulation, including mandatory imprisonment and fines. It clarifies that defendants may be required to pay for treatment costs at the court's discretion and defines the presence of a child in relation to domestic violence acts. The bill ensures that victims will not incur prosecution-related fees and mandates that prosecutors provide the court with the defendant's history of past convictions before sentencing. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-644
Floor (House): 21-644
Floor (Senate): 21-644
Engrossed: 21-644
Amended And Engrossed: 21-644
Enrolled (final version): 21-644