Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 4166
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-26: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-01T08:08:36Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 4166: Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025
Purpose
This legislation amends federal law to expand definitions related to domestic violence and introduce new restrictions on firearm possession for individuals convicted of certain stalking offenses, aiming to enhance legal protections for survivors of intimate partner violence and stalking.
Key Provisions
- Expansion of "intimate partner" definition: Amends 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(32) to include individuals who are or were in a dating relationship, as well as others similarly situated to a spouse under state or tribal domestic violence laws.
- Definition of "dating relationship": Updates 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(37) to describe it as a continuing serious romantic or intimate relationship, with adjustments for misdemeanor domestic violence contexts.
- Inclusion of dating partners' children: Modifies 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(33) to cover acts against a child of a current or recent former dating partner in the definition of "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence."
- New "misdemeanor crime of stalking" category: Adds 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(39) defining this as a misdemeanor offense involving a course of harassment, intimidation, or surveillance that causes reasonable fear of harm or emotional distress to the victim, their family, cohabitants, intimate partners, or animals.
- Firearm prohibitions: Amends 18 U.S.C. § 922(d) and (g) to prohibit individuals convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving firearms or ammunition, with due process requirements (such as right to counsel and jury trial waivers) matching those for other domestic violence misdemeanors.
- Expungement and restoration safeguards: Specifies that convictions do not count if expunged, set aside, pardoned, or subject to civil rights restoration, unless restrictions on firearms are explicitly stated.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Broadens the scope of "intimate partner" beyond spouses, former spouses, cohabitants, and parents of shared children to explicitly cover dating relationships.
- Extends "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" to include violence against children of dating partners.
- Introduces stalking as a new standalone prohibitor under federal firearm laws, separate from existing domestic violence categories.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Requires federal, state, tribal, and local courts and law enforcement to apply expanded definitions when determining firearm eligibility, potentially increasing background check complexities and enforcement duties.
- On citizens: Restricts firearm access for more individuals convicted of qualifying misdemeanors involving dating partners or stalking, while providing due process protections in convictions.
- On international relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Survivors of domestic violence and stalking, particularly those in dating relationships.
- Individuals in current or former dating relationships and their children.
- Federal, state, tribal, and local courts and law enforcement agencies responsible for prosecutions and firearm prohibitions.
- Firearm owners, dealers, and related regulatory bodies.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Aligns with existing federal firearm restrictions by incorporating due process elements to address potential challenges related to the right to counsel and jury trials.
- Expands federal authority over state and tribal misdemeanor convictions in the context of gun possession, which may intersect with Second Amendment considerations.
- Applies uniformly across jurisdictions without altering underlying state or tribal laws on domestic violence or stalking.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (13)
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Scholten, Hillary J. [D-MI-3], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-26: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-06-26: Introduced in House
- 2025-06-26: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 — issued 2025-06-26 — PDF (6 pages)