HB 1552

Present law establish es a crime victim address confidentiality program, which must be open to applicants who are victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, rape, sexual battery, or another sexual offense, as well as co-applicants, the children of an applicant or co -applicant living at the same address as the applicant or co-applicant, and persons with disabilities for whom an applicant or co-applicant serves as a fiduciary and are living at the same address as the applicant or co-applicant if those persons satisfy certain requirements, at no cost to the program participant. A co-applicant is a spouse, parent, or fiduciary of the applicant who lives in the same residence at the time the application is made and who resides in the same residence with the applicant while the applicant is a program participant . This bill adds that a co-applicant may also be a sibling of the applicant. INELIGIBLE PERSONS Present law prohibits certain persons from participat ing in the address confidentiality program . This bill adds that a person who by law is required to be registered unde r the r egistry of persistent domestic violence offenders is prohibit ed from participating in the address confidentiality program . APPLICATION FOR SUBSTITUTE ADDRESS Generally, present law authorizes an adult person, or a parent or fiduciary acting on behalf of a minor or person with a disability, to apply to the secretary of state to have an address designated by the secretary of state serve as the person's substitute address . In the absence of an ongoing criminal case that may result or has resulted in a conviction or an order of protection granted by a court of competent jurisdiction within this state which is in effect at the time of application, the application m ust contain a notarized statement by a licensed professional with knowledge of the circumstances confirming that such individual believes that the applicant, or the minor or person with a disability on whose behalf the application is made, is in danger of further harm . This bill removes the provision above that requires the court of competent jurisdiction to be within this state.