SF0012

Establishes procedures for courts to issue permanent orders of protection for victims of sexual assault, stalking, and domestic violence.

• Creates authority for courts to issue permanent orders of protection against stalking and sexual assault upon petition by a victim, requiring courts to consider the respondent's history of violence, severity of the offense, and determine that permanent protection is necessary to prevent further harm. (W.S. 7-3-513(a))
• Allows courts to enter permanent orders of protection upon conviction of a violent felony as defined in W.S. 6-1-104(a)(xii). (W.S. 7-3-513(b))
• Permits courts to specify conditions in permanent orders of protection, such as directing the respondent to refrain from contact, and includes notice requirements and remote appearance options for hearings. (W.S. 7-3-513(c), W.S. 7-3-513(d))
• Allows permanent orders of protection to be terminated upon the victim's request or upon the respondent's motion showing good cause. (W.S. 7-3-513(e))
• Creates parallel provisions for permanent orders of protection in domestic violence cases against household members, with the same requirements for considering violence history, severity of offense, and need for permanent protection. (W.S. 35-21-113(a), W.S. 35-21-113(b))
• Establishes that willful violation of a permanent order of protection is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment up to six months, a fine up to $750, or both, with statewide applicability. (W.S. 7-3-510(c))
• Makes conforming amendments to existing statutes to include permanent orders of protection within definitions and procedures for stalking and sexual assault protection orders. (W.S. 7-3-506(a), W.S. 7-3-507(f), W.S. 7-3-509(a), W.S. 7-3-510, W.S. 7-3-511, W.S. 7-3-512, W.S. 35-21-102(a)(viii), W.S. 35-21-106(b), W.S. 35-21-106(c))
• Specifies that the act does not alter orders of protection entered before July 1, 2025, and provides rules for calculating tolled periods under the prior law. (Section 3)

Effective: July 1, 2025