Law Targeting Stalkers Is Approved by Senate as Part of Defense Bill

Federal legislation aimed at strengthening anti-stalking laws across the country, drafted by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), was approved by the Senate on Tuesday.

Central to the proposed law are provisions designed to help protect victims from stalkers who cross state lines.

Currently, no federal law makes court-ordered restraining orders in one state enforceable in another.

“I’m delighted,” said Royce, who has worked throughout this session of Congress to see that the measure reaches the White House. “I feel pretty good about probably getting the president’s signature.”

Sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), the legislation will be delivered to the White House today as part of the $257-billion 1997 defense authorization bill.

Although the defense bill calls for spending $11.3 billion more than President Clinton requested, he announced on Sept. 7 that he intends to sign the measure.

The anti-stalker legislation first cleared the House in July, but was attached to the defense authorization as a way to speed it through the legislative process this year. The legislation bans stalking on federal premises, such as military bases.

Royce plans to hold a press conference this week. It will include Kathleen Gallagher Baty, who said she has been followed by the same stalker for 15 years. She testified before Congress in May on behalf of Royce’s bill.

Baty said the obsessed stalker repeatedly ignored restraining orders, which were only misdemeanor violations.

“His first real crime was when he actually laid a hand on me,” Baty recalled in a telephone interview. “That was when he held a knife to me and attempted to kidnap me.”

Baty relocated to Florida and the stalker went to jail. Once on parole, the obsessed man cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet and began heading for Florida, but was apprehended in Nevada.

“Law enforcement people recommend you move away from the area as a last resort,” Baty said. “That’s all well and good, but when you move to another state, you have no more legal protection and once again you are living in fear.”

If the measure is signed, it will be considered a felony to violate a restraining order or cross state lines to stalk another person. It entails a mandatory five-year prison sentence. A stalker will receive a 20-year term if an injury occurs and life in prison if death results.