(UPDATED – 4-11-17 12:55PM)

April 11, 2017

For Immediate Release

Prince George’s County Councilman Mel Franklin Congratulates General Assembly on Adopting Amber’s Law

Councilman Calls Legislation a Triumph for Domestic Violence Survivors

Contact: Mel@melfranklin.net

In the closing moments of the 2017 Legislative Session, the Maryland General Assembly unanimously adopted House Bill 1163 (HB 1163), known as Amber’s Law, which will authorize the Court to grant a domestic violence survivor’s request to require an alleged abuser to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition of release.  Amber’s Law is named after domestic violence victim and Prince George’s County, MD resident, Amber Schinault, who was violently murdered in 2012 by her ex-boyfriend, despite having a protective order.  After previous years of failing to pass, yesterday the bill cleared two committees and both houses of the General Assembly in the final hours of the session.  Councilman Mel Franklin (D-District 9), who worked with the bill’s primary House sponsor, Delegate Aruna Miller (D-Montgomery County), to lobby lawmakers in the closing hours of the session, was thrilled with the last minute revival and adoption of the legislation:

“The passage of Amber’s Law is an amazing triumph for survivors of domestic violence and will save countless lives by strengthening protections against domestic violence abusers.  I would like to thank Senator Susan Lee and Delegate Aruna Miller for leading the charge in Annapolis for this law, the other bill sponsors, the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee and House Judiciary Committee, Committee Chairs Senator Bobby Zirkin and Delegate Joe Vallario, Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Mike Busch, Senate and House staff, especially Sen. Lee’s chief of staff, Michael Lore, and our County Council staff, all of whom moved Amber’s Law with amazing speed.  Most of all, I would like to thank Amber’s parents, Angela and Steven Zarcone, and her best friend, Jaime Boswell, for inspiring this impressive crusade to protect others from domestic violence in Amber’s memory.”

HB 1163 was also endorsed by the full Prince George’s County Council.  The bill now goes to Governor Larry Hogan for his approval, which is widely expected.

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A copy of the Councilman’s previous letter to the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/franklin-ambers-law-ltr