Senator Susan Rubio (D–Baldwin Park) introduced SB 871, the Domestic Violence Prevention Act — life-saving legislation to strengthen enforcement of domestic violence restraining orders and prevent abusers from getting dangerously close to their victims.

Domestic violence remains a serious public safety and public health crisis in California. Nearly one in five women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence from an intimate partner, and intimate partners account for nearly half of all female homicide victims nationwide.

“Restraining orders are only effective if they can be enforced in real time,” Senator Rubio said. “As someone who has recently obtained my third domestic violence restraining order, I understand the fear survivors face. Survivors deserve real protections — tools that keep them safe and allow them to live without fear. If we can use technology to track everyday services, we should be using that same technology to protect victims and save lives. SB 871 is about saving lives and holding abusers accountable.”

Under current law, courts can issue restraining orders but lack real-time enforcement tools. While GPS monitoring is already used for individuals on probation or parole, it is not used to enforce domestic violence restraining orders before violations occur.

SB 871 changes that. The bill establishes a GPS monitoring program for abusers subject to restraining orders and requires its use in high-risk cases. The program provides real-time alerts to survivors and notifies law enforcement when an abuser violates distance requirements, giving victims critical time to get to safety.

Other states, including North Carolina and Tennessee, have implemented similar programs to help prevent domestic violence homicides. SB 871 ensures California survivors have access to the same protections.

“Survivors know how quickly danger can escalate,” Rubio added. “After years of advocacy, I have met far too many survivors and family members who were nearly harmed or lost a loved one because a restraining order was violated, ending in tragedy. It is time that we are unequivocal about protecting victims. This bill gives survivors time, information, and protection — and makes clear that violations will have real consequences.”

Senator Rubio is available for media interviews in English or Spanish. To schedule an interview, please contact Giovanni Ruiz at Giovanni.RuizReyes@sen.ca.gov

For more information, visit the website of Senator Susan Rubio at senate.ca.gov/rubio