Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence Act

Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence Act

This bill requires the Department of Justice to study issues and make recommendations related to child custody and divorce in domestic violence cases.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1991 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1991

To direct the Attorney General to conduct studies on child custody and 
      divorce in domestic violence cases, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 17, 2021

  Mrs. Torres of California introduced the following bill; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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                                 A BILL


 
To direct the Attorney General to conduct studies on child custody and 
      divorce in domestic violence cases, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Victims of Domestic 
Violence Act''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON CHILD CUSTODY IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.

    The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, shall conduct a study investigating whether victims 
who raise evidence of domestic violence are more likely to lose primary 
custody of children to an abusive partner or to the State, including--
            (1) a review of State laws, regulations, and practices on 
        how child neglect and custody situations are handled in 
        domestic violence situations; and
            (2) a list of recommendations on how to restructure State 
        laws, regulations, and practices to better protect victims of 
        domestic violence and their children.

SEC. 3. STUDY ON COSTS OF DIVORCE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.

    The Attorney General, in coordination with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, shall--
            (1) conduct a study on the direct and collateral economic 
        costs and risks of divorce from an abusive partner to a victim 
        of domestic violence, including the payment of alimony, legal 
        fees, spousal support, or the division of property, 
        disaggregated on the basis of whether the individual has higher 
        earnings than their partner; and
            (2) include recommendations based on the study conducted 
        under paragraph (1).
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