Mary Ann’s Story Continues. Read the first part here.

After their phone call, Mary Ann and Representative Tipton began drafting legislation to hold abusers accountable. Their work would become known as HB 38 during this year’s Kentucky General Assembly.

She received another call from the congressman after the bill was filed. He asked Mary Ann to share her testimony with the House Standing Committee Judiciary.

Although nervous, Mary Ann remembers feeling supported from the moment she arrived at the Capitol Annex. She bravely shared her story and called for change.

“Today, I stand here with the hope that this bill will pass with essential provisions to escalate repeated domestic violence offenses to felony charges.”

The committee voted to pass the bill to the House of Representatives, which unanimously voted to approve.

This moved the bill to the Senate Standing Committee Judiciary. Mary Ann testified for a second time, inspiring the committee to move the bill to the full Senate.

She returned to Frankfort a few weeks later to witness the Senate’s vote and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Governor Beshear signed the legislation into law this March.

Per Kentucky Revised Statutes, the violation of an order of protection by a person convicted of two or more previous violations in five years is a Class D felony, if the third or subsequent violation uses or attempts to use physical force or threatens physical harm. The protected person can differ across violations.