Melanie's Law

Melanie's Law creates a federal grant program to help states expand their ability to issue and enforce protective orders for people connected to domestic violence victims. The bill defines these protections to cover family members, former spouses, parents of the same child, and individuals in intimate relationships, ensuring courts can shield third-party relatives from harm as well. To support this, the legislation provides funding for training law enforcement and judges, improving how protective orders are served across different jurisdictions, and establishing better systems to track order violations. Additionally, the grants can be used to offer victims essential services such as legal aid, counseling, emergency housing, and safety equipment. States must have laws in place granting these specific protective order authorities to qualify for the federal money, which is authorized at $200 million annually from 2026 through 2036.