House passes Borowski bill to protect lives of domestic violence survivors
Rep. Lisa Borowski June 27, 2024 | 4:33 PM
HARRISBURG, June 27 – The House passed legislation today authored by state Rep. Lisa Borowski that would help domestic violence survivors and their children escape dangerous living situations.
House Bill 1441 would amend the Landlords and Tenants Act to provide for exceptions that give victims of domestic violence or abuse the option to terminate a rental lease early and/or change the locks or means of entry to their housing unit.
“Leaving an abusive relationship is a dangerous time for a victim of domestic violence,” Borowski said. “It’s complicated for them to figure out where to go, how to get there, and how they’ll afford it, because abusers often exert their power by taking control of their victims’ finances and means of transportation. Having children complicates the situation even further. They also risk retaliation by their abuser.
“Communities exist for us to look out for each other. This bill would create a safe and fair process that would allow Pennsylvania communities to support their neighbors in heartbreaking situations to help prevent them from turning into life-threatening situations,” Borowski continued.
Borowski worked with multiple stakeholders, including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission – which has noted that these victims often experience homelessness and housing insecurity because of their efforts to escape their abuser and protect themselves and their children – to craft a proposal that supports victims while considering landlords’ financial interests.
This is the second bill introduced by Borowski in support of domestic violence survivors that passed the House. House Bill 544, which would waive fees associated with replacing critical state documents for victims of domestic violence and abuse who have been deprived of these documents by their abusers, passed the chamber nearly a year ago on July 6, 2023. It is one of many House bills the Senate has neglected to consider this legislative session.
According to the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.
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