Cell phone bills aim to help victims of domestic abuse

LANSING — Many cell phone users have contracts with their service providers — usually two years in duration.

But under bills approved overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives on Thursday, a victim of domestic violence who is seeking a personal protection order against his or her partner could get permission to break that cell phone contract in order to avoid contact with the abuser.

"Oftentimes, cell phones are used as a way to control victims of domestic violence. This will give them the ability to break those contracts and renegotiate them," said state Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Potterville, who is one of the sponsors of the legislation and who noted that an abuser can track the cell phone, texting and travel of a person who may be under the same cell phone contract.

State Rep. Vanessa Guerra, D-Bridgeport, said the bills would make it easier for victims of domestic violence to get away.

Besides allowing the cell phone contract to be broken, the bills, which passed on 107-1 votes, also would allow phone numbers to be transferred to the person who is petitioning for a personal protection order, and not provide that information to the person who is the subject of the PPO.

The bills — HB 5641-5642 — now move to the Senate for consideration.

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