Pawlenty signs improvements to domestic violence law

Advocates for victims of domestic violence are praising a bill signed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty that increases protection for domestic violence victims.

Many of the new law's provisions come from a working group of advocates and law enforcement officials.

They came together last year after a series of high-profile cases involving victims of domestic violence.

Liz Richards of the Minnesota Coalition to Protect Battered Women says the group made a list of what its members could have done better while working on those cases.

"What this bill reflects is a thoughful approach, looking at a number of small changes that hopefully strengthens the system's ability to respond overall," she said.

The new law strengthens orders of protection and clarifies stalking offenses. It protects sexual assault program information from public disclosure, and increases the criminal justice system's ability to prosecute high-risk offenders.