Amherst Rep Speaks on Joshua's Law

Becky Ranes, the mother of 9-year-old Joshua Savyon, was looking on from the House gallery as state representatives voted 325-3 to pass a domestic violence bill named after her late son.

Rep. Shannon Chandley, D-Amherst, released a statement on Joshua's Law after the vote.

"It is time we call domestic violence what it is. In establishing the crime of Domestic Violence, we aid our justice system, child protection agencies, law enforcement and advocates in the process of identifying crimes of domestic violence and improving the response to the benefit of victims and their children."

The legislation establishes a new section of "Domestic Violence" as a Class A misdemeanor, unless the person uses or threatens another with a deadly weapon, which would be a Class B felony.

Read the bill.