Following is a listing of executive and legislative action from the week of Aug. 7. At press time both houses of the General Assembly stood in recess subject to the call of the chambers' leaders.

|

Domestic Violence Prevention

State Rep. Kate Klunk, R-York, urged passage of legislation to implement what she said is a potentially lifesaving Lethality Assessment Program to prevent the worst cases of domestic violence. At a press conference in her district Aug. 8, she pointed to Maryland's experience with a similar program, according to a statement from her office.

“Since Maryland successfully implemented its program, there has been a 25 percent drop in the number of domestic violence-related homicides over the past six years. This commonsense program needs to be instituted across Pennsylvania,” Klunk said. “Far too many lives are at stake to sit idly by and do nothing.”

HB 175, which Klunk is sponsoring, would require police officers to receive training that includes standards for assessing the lethality risk of domestic violence incidents. LAP is a highly effective method for law enforcement to identify victims of domestic violence who are at the highest risk of being seriously injured or killed by their intimate partners, Klunk said.