California
domestic-violence bill to aid same-sex couples

The California assembly judiciary committee passed a bill Tuesday that would fund the development and ongoing support of initiatives aimed at helping gay victims of domestic violence. The Equality in Prevention and Services for Domestic Abuse Fund would require couples registering as domestic partners to pay a small fee that would go toward financing LGBT-specific training for law enforcement and domestic-violence service providers, among other programs. "Domestic violence affects an estimated 25% of all relationships in California, and this crime is not discriminatory based on race, gender, or sexual orientation," the bill's author, Democratic assemblywoman Rebecca Cohn, said in a statement. "I introduced [this bill] to support LGBT victim services because the needs of this underserved and underrepresented community are unique when it comes to domestic abuse." The bill would also subsidize shelters that support LGBT victims of domestic violence as well as an educational brochure on the topic that would be given out with domestic-partnership certificates. (The Advocate)