Ortitay, Powell Unveil Bill Package to Better Protect Domestic Violence Victims

SOUTH FAYETTE - During a press conference in South Fayette Township today, Reps. Jason Ortitay (R-Washington/Allegheny) and Lindsay Powell (D-Allegheny) announced they recently introduced a legislative package to offer domestic violence victims further protections, enhance offender accountability, and better prevent repeat and escalating violence in response to a man almost murdering his wife in 2022.

Courtney Kotar's estranged husband, a former local movie producer, pleaded guilty to attempted homicide, aggravated assault, stalking and reckless endangerment after stabbing her multiple times in their home as she attempted to sleep. While he was ordered to serve up to 15 years in state prison, a domestic relations judge held that the abuser was entitled to a portion of her pension and other marital assets.

"When Courtney recounted the horrors she has been experiencing, the need for stronger statutory tools could not have been clearer," Ortitay said. "By combining preventative monitoring tools with meaningful financial accountability and victim financial assistance, this legislative package seeks to close dangerous gaps in current law and send an unmistakable message that Pennsylvania's legal system will not empower domestic abusers. Being required to financially support your abuser is not only a miscarriage of justice, it is a continuation of the abuse itself, forcing victims to remain economically and emotionally attached to the person who terrorized them."

"No one should be forced to remain tethered to their abuser through gaps in our legal system, whether physically, emotionally or financially," Powell said. "This bipartisan package with Rep. Ortitay strengthens protections for survivors by enabling real-time monitoring of abusers and ensuring that those who commit acts of domestic violence cannot profit from that harm in divorce proceedings. Pennsylvania must send a clear message that we are prioritizing victim safety, closing dangerous loopholes and holding abusers fully accountable under the law."

House Bill 2343, authored by Ortitay and Powell, would allow courts, in protection from abuse (PFA) matters and criminal proceedings, to order abusers to wear a GPS monitoring device that enables victims to track the defendant's location in real time. It would issue immediate alerts to the victim and law enforcement if the abuser enters a court-designated exclusion zone or otherwise violates geographic restrictions imposed by the court.

House Bill 2346, authored by Ortitay and Powell, would prohibit courts from awarding domestic abusers alimony, spousal support or a share of marital assets in divorce proceedings, thus ensuring abusers cannot financially benefit from their abuse or continue to exert control over their victims through the legal system.

House Bill 2344, authored by Ortitay, would allow victims of coerced debt to formally challenge such obligations with a creditor. Upon receiving a claim, a creditor would be required to make a good-faith determination as to whether the debt qualifies as coerced. If the debt is determined to be coerced, a creditor would be required to immediately cease all collection activities against the victim. Coerced debt refers to financial obligations that an individual does not knowingly or voluntarily incur.

House Bill 2345, authored by Ortitay, would create the Domestic Violence Home Security Grant Program to help domestic violence victims secure their homes and protect themselves from future harm. When a victim leaves an abusive relationship, the risk of retaliation is often at its highest. Unfortunately, many victims lack the financial resources necessary to secure their homes or move to another address.

Representative Jason Ortitay
46th Legislative District
Representative Lindsay Powell
21st Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Tracy Polovick
717.260.6358
[email protected]
RepOrtitay.com / Facebook.com/RepOrtitay

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