Kayden's Law Included In Federal Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act - LevittownNow.com

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act (VAWA). It included a legislation inspired by the murder of a Pennsbury School District student.

Biden signed the act at the White House as part of the omnibus appropriations package that earned bipartisan support.

The Violence Against Women Act was a 1994 law signed by President Bill Clinton. it created programs and appropriated funding for grants to assist victims of domestic abuse.

The bill had been renewed three times, but it expired in 2018 despite efforts to try to save it. NBC News reported Congress continued to fund related programs since the act lapsed in 2018.

The updated act signed by Biden included Kayden’s Law, which was named after Kayden Mancuso, 7, who was murdered by her father in 2018.

Kayden’s Law looks at how state courts handle custody proceedings and increases funding for grants for states to implement domestic violence programs.

Kayden was killed in Philadelphia by her father during a 2018 unsupervised visit. Her father, who killed himself, had a history of threatening actions and a Bucks County judge had approved unsupervised visits. The death of the student of Pennsbury’s Edgewood Elementary School in Lower Makefield Township brought spotlight locally to the child custody process.

Kathy Sherlock, Kayden’s mom, has advocated for Kayden’s Law and was on hand during the White House bill signing.

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Middletown Township, introduced Kayden’s Law in Congress.

“Kayden’s Law will strengthen our state courts’ abilities to recognize and adjudicate domestic violence and child abuse allegations based on valid, admissible evidence so that courts can enter orders that protect and minimize the risk of harm to children,” Fitzpatrick’s office said.

Biden thanked Fitzpatrick at Wednesday’s White House event.

The president spoke to the positive change the Violence Against Women Act has had over the years.

“This law broke the dam of congressional resistance and cultural resistance. And it brought this hidden epidemic out of the shadows. You know, its introduction — it introduced our nation to so many brave survivors who those stories changed the way America saw the issue,” he said.

Separate from the federal law, there is a Kayden’s Law proposal working its way through the legislature in Harrisburg.

The state bill has passed the state Senate and now needs to pass the Pennsylvania House.

The state bill would reform Pennsylvania’s child custody statute.

“The passage of the Violence Against Women Act reinforces what lawmakers from Bucks County have been saying for years, Pennsylvania needs to modernize child custody cases. The most important aspect about Kayden’s Law is its ability to protect the lives of children through increased safety protections and enhanced training. The time has come for Pennsylvania to act and pass Kayden’s Law. It’s time to pass legislation that would protect our children and families,” said State Rep. Tina Davis, a Democrat from Bristol Township.

State senators Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat from Lower Makefield Township, and Lisa Baker, a Republican from Northeastern Pennsylvania, applauded the passage of the federal law and showed their support for the Keystone State’s version.

“If Senate Bill 78 is signed into law, Pennsylvania would become one of the first states eligible for the new grant funds provided in the Violence Against Women’s Act,” said Santarsiero. “The circumstances that led to writing Kayden’s Law were tragic but passing this legislation in her memory will help keep children safe and make sure no child faces that same fate.”

source: https://levittownnow.com/2022/03/17/kaydens-law-included-in-federal-violence-against-women-act-reauthorization-act/

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