Senate Bill 158 would increase Indiana’s holding period for people arrested for domestic violence from eight to 24 hours.
“From a survivor standpoint, a cooling-off period is imperative. It's a time where they can seek safety,” said Kloe Timmons, legal advocate at Middle Way House.
The longer holding period also would give survivors more time to get in touch with a crisis line or relocate children and pets.
Monroe County already has a 24-hour cooling-off period for all domestic battery arrests, and the new bill would extend this practice to all of Indiana.
Timmons said the cooling-off period can give survivors peace of mind knowing they have more time before the offender is released.
“They know that the person who has done this harm is put away for a certain amount of time,” Timmons said. “I think that allows them to feel like they’re not just racing against the clock. There’s a lot of pressure with this sort of thing.”
After the bill passed in the Senate, the House made changes and sent it back to the Senate for review. Next, the entire Senate will vote on the amended bill.