AUGUSTA (AP) — Legislators are set to present bills addressing domestic violence in the state.

A state panel found that half of Maine’s 46 homicides from 2014 to 2015 stemmed from domestic violence. A number of domestic violence bills are scheduled for public hearing before the Legislature’s criminal justice and public safety committee Friday.

Two bills call for more attention to certified batterer’s intervention programs that aim to help offenders change their behavior, beliefs and attitudes.

Republican Sen. Kim Rosen is sponsoring a bill that would require a court to provide justification when it doesn’t order participation in a batterer’s intervention program for certain crimes.

Rosen is a chair of the criminal justice committee.

Other bills would provide more funding for such programs and call for a review of domestic violence laws.

Maine State House is the state capitol of the State of Maine in Augusta, Maine, USA.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.