PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In a unanimous vote, the Washington state Senate passed the Tiffany Hill Act on Monday, March 9, after it was approved in the House the week before.
The bill honors a Vancouver woman who was shot and killed by her estranged husband two days before Thanksgiving last year. The Tiffany Hill Act, which was proposed by Vancouver Sen. Lynda Wilson, would track convicted abusers using GPS and alert victims if their abuser is nearby. Sen. Wilson believes the bill could have saved Hill’s life.
“This bill was a good idea all along, and it was frustrating to watch it fall short these past two years. We needed a hero to get it through – and Tiffany Hill, who served her country with honor as a Marine, became that hero,” said Wilson.
The mother of three was shot while parked in the parking lot of her children’s elementary school. During the investigation, police discovered the gunman was out of jail on bail and had an active restraining order against him involving Hill.
“A restraining order written on paper won’t protect victims of domestic violence or sexual assault or stalking the way this technology can. I’ve said all along that this bill needs to become law this year, and today’s vote gets it there,” Wilson said.
The Washington state House unanimously passed a domestic violence bill Wednesday, March 4. Wilson said she expects Governor Jay Inslee will support the bill and sign it into law in the coming weeks.