Mayor Lurie Celebrates New State Law to Support Domestic Violence Survivors

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today celebrated the signing of AB 1877, which strengthens protections for survivors of domestic violence by allowing prosecutors to charge violations of protective orders as felonies in high-risk cases. The new law, authored by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani and sponsored by Mayor Lurie, gives prosecutors consistent authority to step in before violence escalates.  

Public safety has been Mayor Lurie’s top priority since his first day in office, and supporting survivors of gender-based violence has been an important part of that work under his Women’s Agenda launched with District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar earlier this year. The city provides more than $10 million in annual funding for gender-based violence intervention and prevention programs, and Mayor Lurie last summer awarded nearly $30 million in funding for two transitional housing projects that provide housing and services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Mayor Lurie’s Rebuilding the Ranks plan is boosting hiring at the San Francisco Police Department to continue holding perpetrators accountable.

“Keeping San Franciscans safe has been my top priority since the day I took office, and that work has always included survivors of sexual violence.  Now we're building on that work with new tools to hold people accountable if they violate restraining orders,” said Mayor Lurie. “We are giving law enforcement and city departments the tools to keep all San Franciscans safe, and this new law will help us continue to protect survivors. I want to thank Assemblymember Stefani for her leadership on this issue and Governor Newsom for signing these stronger protections into law.”

“A protective order has to be more than a piece of paper. It has to mean protection,” said Assemblymember Stefani. “Survivors should not have to wait for another act of violence before repeated violations are taken seriously. AB 1877 gives prosecutors stronger tools to intervene and hold repeat offenders accountable before it is too late. I am grateful to Governor Newsom for signing this bill and to Mayor Lurie for working with me to better protect survivors.”

AB 1877 responds to a clear pattern documented by the Mayor’s Office for Victims’ Rights. Survivors across San Francisco report repeated violations of restraining and protective orders, yet enforcement varies widely, with many violations resulting in little or no consequence—in part because the law previously only allowed violations to be charged as misdemeanors.

Protective orders are among the most important tools for preventing domestic violence homicides. When a survivor obtains a protective order, failure to quickly and consistently enforce against violations can increase the potential risk of harm to the survivor.

“Over 10% of women murdered by an intimate partner have an active protective order—these protective orders only work as homicide prevention tools when they are consistently and strongly enforced,” said Ivy Lee, Mayor’s Office for Victims’ Rights Director. “Thanks to the leadership of Assemblymember Stefani, Mayor Lurie, and the many survivors and advocates who supported this change, a violation of a criminal protective order can finally be addressed statewide with the seriousness that survivors need to be safe.”  

“Too often, we've seen the intersection of guns and domestic violence raise the risk of serious injury and death rises dramatically,” said Paméla Michelle Tate, Ph.D., Black Women Revolt Against Domestic Violence Executive Director. “AB 1877 strengthens accountability and gives courts another critical tool to protect survivors and prevent further harm.”  

The new law gives prosecutors discretion to file felony charges when the facts of a case show a significant risk to a survivor. It does not require harsher penalties in every situation. Instead, it ensures that the law reflects the seriousness of repeated or threatening violations.

“Domestic violence survivors deserve more than a piece of paper telling their abuser to stay away—they deserve meaningful protection and a justice system empowered to act when that protection is violated,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. "This new law gives prosecutors an important tool to intervene when a protective order is violated in a high-risk situation, before threats and intimidation escalate further. I thank Assemblymember Stefani and Mayor Lurie for their leadership in strengthening these protections and for their partnership in prioritizing public safety for all. Today, with Governor Newsom’s signature, California is making clear that violating a protective order can have serious consequences, and that survivors should never have to face violent abuse alone.”