Rep. Mannix: House OKs bill aiding victims of stalking, home violence

House Unanimously Passes Bill that Enhances Safety for Victims of Stalking and Domestic Violence
By Oregon State Representative Kevin Mannix,

SALEM, Ore. — Today, the House unanimously passed HB 4045. Also known as “Kristil’s Law,” this bill would require all communications providers operating in Oregon to respond to search warrants within five business days, and require social media providers to respond within 72 hours, after receiving a request involving stalking or domestic violence.

“I’m very pleased that the House unanimously passed this important bill, which corrects a dangerous gap in the current system,” said Representative Kevin L. Mannix (R-Salem), one of the bill’s chief sponsors. “This bill recognizes a simple truth: In domestic violence and stalking cases, speed saves lives.”

The bill is named after a Colorado woman named Kristil Krug, who was stalked for over two months before she was ultimately murdered by the stalker, who used a cellphone to terrorize her, while impersonating an innocent man. Despite carefully documenting the text messages and emails and seeking help from law enforcement, the warrants that were issued to Krug’s phone company to identify the stalker weren’t returned in time to save her life.

Currently, there is no statutory deadline requiring communications companies to respond to search warrants. As a result, it can take weeks or even months to produce critical evidence, even if a judge has already determined probable cause. If passed, Oregon would be the first in the nation to have this type of law.

“Stalking is a well-documented precursor to lethal violence,” said Rep. Mannix. “As we saw in Kristil’s case, delays in these types of cases can lead to deadly consequences. I hope this bill advances and sets a precedent for the nation.”