AUSTIN (KXAN) — A handful of state laws passed in 2023 go into effect on Monday, with more still to come in 2025.
Victims of dating violence will now be able to access family violence centers under Senate Bill 1841 . Dating violence itself is newly defined with the law, and is noted as an act by someone in a dating relationship that causes physical harm, places someone in a situation where they fear for their safety and emotional abuse.
Also, those centers must now show the state that they are providing services “in a manner that recognizes and responds to the signs and symptoms of trauma in, and the risks of trauma to, a victim of family violence to better support the victim and promote the victim’s choice, trust, dignity, connection, and healing.” Those that don’t won’t be eligible for grants from the state.
The centers are also prohibited from requiring clients “participate in other services as a condition of receiving shelter.”
If you need to find a family violence shelter for yourself, please visit the Texas Health and Human Services website , call 800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.