News release
Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares, R-Acton, has introduced “Kayleigh’s Law,” a bill that would give judges the option to issue lifetime protective orders for survivors of serious felonies, violent crimes and felony sex offenses, according to a news release from the senator’s office.
“Victims of violent crimes shouldn’t have to keep fighting to stay safe,” Valladares said in the release. “Safety, dignity and healing should never have an expiration date. By allowing judges to issue lifetime injunctions, we’re giving survivors the protection they deserve — without forcing them to keep reliving their trauma.”
Right now, victims can get temporary restraining orders or protective orders, but those only last for a limited time. Once they expire, survivors are forced to go back to court to request renewals, often facing their perpetrators in the process. This can be re-traumatizing and puts unnecessary burdens on those who have already endured so much, the release said.
“This essential legislation offers protections for survivors, ensuring they are safeguarded from their abusers,” Kayleigh Kozak, for whom the bill is named, said in the release. “I am profoundly grateful to Sen. Valladares for sponsoring this bill and advocating for survivors in California.”
Kozak is a survivor and advocate for victims’ rights. More than a decade after her case was closed, she had to face her abuser in court once again just to extend her protective order, the release said, adding that the experience showed her firsthand how the system falls short in protecting survivors — and inspired her to push for change.
Under Senate Bill 421, judges would have the power to issue lifetime injunctions at sentencing. These orders would only be lifted under specific conditions, such as if the victim requests it, the conviction is overturned, or in the event of the victim’s passing.
Similar versions of Kayleigh’s Law have been implemented in Arizona, Wisconsin, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, and have been introduced for consideration in Missouri and Wyoming for the 2025 legislative cycle.
