Connecticut bill modifies domestic violence laws

Members of the Connecticut House of Representatives are sworn in at the Capitol in Hartford, Conn., Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut's House of Representatives has passed a bill modifying the state's domestic violence and sexual assault laws.

The bill, which passed Thursday 135-0, would provide additional protections to victims and people who apply for restraining orders.

It allows sexual assault victims to terminate rental agreements without penalty in certain circumstances. It also requests that courthouses provide alleged victims of family violence and their advocates a separate area from defendants.


The legislation would also establish a task force to investigate allowing a sexual assault victim who is not a member of the perpetrator's family to apply for a restraining order.

The bill now passes to the state Senate, which has until the end of the current legislative session on June 5 to take further action.