Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez announced on Apr. 7 that Assembly Bill 2701, which proposed the creation of a public registry for individuals convicted of serious domestic violence offenses, did not advance out of the Assembly Public Safety Committee.
The bill was intended to increase public awareness and provide preventive tools to help people recognize patterns of abuse. Supporters argued it could help stop dangerous relationships before they begin.
AB 2701 was designed to focus solely on aggravated forms of domestic violence and specifically excluded low-level offenses. The proposal included measures to protect victims’ identities and set penalties for misuse of information from the registry in order to prevent vigilantism.
Gonzalez said, “I am deeply disappointed that what was a common-sense, bipartisan measure failed to move forward today. AB 2701 was about protecting victims, increasing awareness, and holding the most dangerous offenders accountable. Instead, this is yet another failure by Capitol legislators who refuse to protect our most vulnerable and demand accountability where it is clearly needed.”
Domestic violence continues to be a significant issue across California communities. The bill aimed at closing gaps in prevention by providing legal support for public access while maintaining strong safeguards for those affected.
Law enforcement officials and victim advocacy groups joined Gonzalez in supporting AB 2701, highlighting what they described as a broad need for more resources in combating domestic violence.
