Next stop for State Sen. Susan Rubio’s SB 616– Piqui’s Law — is the Senate, and then the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Along with a relentless push from mother Ana Estevez, actress Angelina Jolie has backed the effort. A San Gabriel Valley state legislator’s bill seeking to require judges to take domestic violence training to inform them on child safety during custody proceedings is one step … [Read more...]
Murders of Children Forced Congress and Biden to Act. Will California Do the Same?
BY SUSAN RUBIO AND KATHLEEN RUSSELL (SACRAMENTO BEE) - In February 2022, during a family-court-ordered visitation at a Sacramento church, a father murdered his three young daughters and a designated supervisor. He then committed suicide. Previously, the mother had obtained a domestic violence restraining order against the man, saying she feared for the life of her children and herself and that … [Read more...]
CA Assembly Passes “Piqui’s Law” by Senator Rubio, Family Court Bill Heads to Senate Judiciary
SACRAMENTO, CA – In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the State Assembly today passed Piqui’s Law, by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park), which mandates judges take training on domestic violence and child abuse to prioritize child safety in custody proceedings and clarifies California's ban on the use of dangerous reunification programs in family court. Senate Bill 616, Piqui’s Law: Keeping … [Read more...]
Victims of Violence Want California Courts to Prioritize Child Safety in Custody Cases
In late February, a Sacramento man shot and killed his three young daughters during a court-ordered supervised visit at a church that their mother had asked a judge not to approve. A Los Angeles man is serving 25 years to life in prison for suffocating his 5-year-old son to death in his car seat in 2017, a move he admitted was to punish his estranged wife, the boy’s mother, who was fighting for … [Read more...]
‘Piqui’s Law’: Mother’s Push for Bill Named After Son Murdered by His Father Makes Progress
The mom of a Southern California boy who was murdered by his father about five years ago continues to advocate for a law named after her son. Senate Bill 616, or "Piqui's Law," would ensure California could receive federal funding to protect victims of child abuse and domestic violence by "prioritizing child safety in our family court system, aligning with federal provisions within the Violence … [Read more...]