Panel reports amended domestic-violence registry bill after heated testimony and privacy concerns

Senate Bill 371 would establish a public registry for repeat domestic-abuse offenders; an amendment adopted in committee narrowed the covered offenses to four specified counts and raised the conviction threshold to three.

Sponsor Senator Abraham said the registry is intended to deter future abuse and "give someone protection" by listing the most consistent offenders. He said the bill targets repeat offenders and that mitigation steps could reduce implementation burdens on law enforcement.

Opponents, including the ACLU, defense-bar representatives and many victim-service organizations, said registries of this kind risk exposing victims, produce a false sense of security and could deter reporting. Megan Garvey (LACDL) and Sarah Whittington (ACLU of Louisiana) argued the registry does not track predatory behavior the way sex‑offender registries do and warned of privacy and collateral consequences for families.

Provider groups including the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Vera Institute urged caution and urged the legislature to consider mitigation steps (redacting addresses, limiting public fields, monitoring impacts seen in Tennessee). Advocates asked the committee to monitor Tennessee’s implementation and guard against chilling effects on reporting.

After extended testimony from survivors, advocates and legal groups, the committee adopted amendments and reported the bill with changes.