State Sen. Van Taylor, center, signed two domestic violence bills at Hope's Door in Plano on Nov. 28 with Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, left, and local victims advocates.[/caption]

State Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, visited Hope’s Door in Plano on Monday to sign two bills aimed at preventing stalking among victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The bills will be filed for the upcoming 85^th legislative session.

The bills are a culmination of roughly a year’s worth of work and collaboration between state legislators and local advocates, Taylor said.

“These changes will measurably strengthen the protection for victims of these types of crimes and enhance Texas’ commitment to victims’ rights,” he said. “I am grateful to [everyone] for working on this.”

The Victim Address Confidentiality Act protects the confidentiality of a victim’s home address from property tax appraisal records and voter registration rolls in order to close public information loopholes that enable perpetrators to locate, stalk and potentially confront their victims.

The Limit Protective Order Protests Act closes another loophole that allows perpetrators of sexual assault or abuse to annually relitigate protective orders forcing victims to repeatedly confront their assailant in court to demonstrate a continual need for the protective order.

Last session, Taylor authored and passed State Bill 112, the Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence Act. The bill allows a judge to issue an emergency protective order banning all forms of communication between the abuser and victim or the victim’s family. Prior to the bill’s passing, a judge only had the power to ban stalking, assault, threatening or harassing communication.

Hope’s Door opened in 1986 to address a growing need for services for victims of domestic violence in the community. Today, the nonprofit organization has merged with New Beginning Center of Garland to expand its outreach in North Texas.

In 2015, Hope’s Door answered 3,241 hotline calls, served 21,000 meals, provided 6,800 hours of counseling and provided emergency shelter to 375 women and children.

"Through our several meetings, I know Van to be passionate about family violence prevention and intervention measures core to the mission at Hope's Door-New Beginning Center," said Jim Malatich, CEO of Hope's Door, in a news release. "These are common-sense pieces of legislation that will go a long way in protecting survivors of abuse and providing helpful tools for their healing and recovery."