A new state law aiming to help domestic violence survivors was applauded by supporters in Orange County Thursday afternoon.
The new law makes tampering with or cutting off a court-mandated GPS monitoring device a third-degree felony.
“This is going to be something great for all of those women, all those children and in some cases even men that are abused," said Harbor House Director of Development Tekoa Pouerie.
According to Harbor House, there were 8,669 reported cases of intimate partner violence in 2014.
“This empowers the women that we work with on a daily basis and this gives us an additional tool to tell them 'hey you can leave and you’ll be protected," Pouerie explained.
However, until the passage of the recent legislation, it was only a misdemeanor at best, if someone tampered with or removed a court-mandated GPS device.
Advocates said the new law empowers law enforcement to take immediate action to protect survivors of domestic violence without the need for additional approval from a judge.
“It is critical that the victim be alerted immediately and it is critical that law enforcement be empowered to go after that person instantly," said Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.
“Anything short of that we literally are talking lives, so this no doubt is life-saving measure," Mayor Jacobs continued.
“In addition to that, it allows the abuser to think twice before they abuse the survivor," Pouerie said.
The bill was sponsored by two Central Florida state lawmakers, Republican Senator David Simmons and Democratic Representative Victor Torres.
“This has been an ongoing struggle to get this to happen but believe you me, it’s going to be worthwhile to protect our families and to make sure that this does not continue in Orange County or the State of Florida," Torres said.