Domestic violence report issued

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Parents and children who have been the targets of domestic violence should receive greater protections from the state, a task force report says.

The Missouri Domestic Violence Task Force assessed the state's response to domestic violence cases and made several preliminary recommendations Wednesday to Gov. Bob Holden.

Those recommendations include:

Amending laws so that domestic abuse victims receive greater protections when seeking to relocate after a divorce.

Expanding the definitions of domestic violence shelters to include nonresidential, nonprofit programs.

Clearing up current laws designed to provide grants to areas with no domestic violence services.

The 11-member task force is made up of state officials and groups that deal with domestic violence issues and includes first lady Lori Hauser Holden.

State officials hope the recommendations will help lawmakers draft legislation on the issue when they return to work next month. The task force, which met four times this year, is expected to release additional recommendations next summer.

"One of the goals of the task force has been to ensure that the money we have available for helping the victims of domestic violence reaches the largest number of people," said Gov. Bob Holden, who created the task force last April.

While more than 4,500 women and 5,100 children had access to domestic shelters in 1999, another 5,000 women and children were turned away because of a lack of space, state officials said.

Holden included anti-domestic violence efforts among his legislative priorities last January and proposed $3 million to fund battered women's shelters. He also pledged to appoint a task force.

Holden vetoed $1 million for new shelters in the fiscal year 2002 budget that went into effect July 1, citing a problem with the way the funding was worded.

The vetoed appropriation was intended to start 20 new domestic violence centers in areas where there are none.