Stalking Convictions Now Trigger Federal Gun Ban: Bill Expands Domestic Violence Protections

The Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act of 2025 is focused on closing several legal gaps that often leave victims exposed, especially when the abuse happens outside of a traditional marriage or cohabitation. This bill primarily updates the definitions used in federal domestic violence law and, critically, adds a new class of prohibited persons under federal firearm statutes.

The Relationship Status Upgrade

If you’ve ever had to explain that your relationship was “serious but not marriage serious,” this section is for you. Current federal law often struggles to protect people in non-marital relationships. This bill broadens the definition of an “intimate partner” to include someone who is or was in a “dating relationship” with the victim. It swaps the term "dating relationship" for "continuing serious relationship of a romantic or intimate nature" in certain sections to keep things consistent and clear. This is a big deal because it means that protections, restraining orders, and federal prohibitions now apply to a much wider range of abusive relationships, including those that have recently ended. For instance, if you were in a serious, committed relationship that wasn't marriage and your ex-partner threatens you, this bill ensures you are covered under the same federal domestic violence protections as a spouse would be.

Protecting the Kids in the Middle

Another key change addresses a specific, worrying loophole concerning children. Under this bill, if someone commits a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a child, it now counts if the abuser has a current or recent dating relationship with the child’s parent or guardian. Think about a parent who brings a new partner into the home who then abuses the child. If that partner isn't technically the child’s parent, they might have previously slipped through the cracks of some domestic violence laws. This bill closes that gap, ensuring that the child is protected even if the abuser’s only connection to the household is dating the person in charge.

Stalking: The New Federal Firearm Prohibition

This is the biggest headline change and the one that will likely draw the most attention. The bill adds a new category to the list of people federally prohibited from owning or possessing firearms: anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of stalking. Until now, federal gun prohibitions typically targeted felony convictions or misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. Stalking, often treated as a misdemeanor, was frequently left out. The bill defines stalking broadly as a “pattern of harassment, intimidation, or surveillance” that causes reasonable fear of harm or emotional distress to the victim, their family, or even their pet or service animal. This provision specifically targets those who engage in persistent, terrifying behavior but whose crimes don't rise to a felony level, closing a significant public safety loophole.

For this firearm ban to take effect, the original misdemeanor stalking conviction must meet specific due process requirements: the defendant must have had a lawyer or knowingly waived their right to one, and if they were entitled to a jury trial, they must have either had one or knowingly waived it. This inclusion is a critical safeguard, ensuring that a person's Second Amendment rights are restricted only after a conviction that meets a high standard of legal review. While the goal is enhanced safety, this provision will certainly impact individuals who previously retained firearm rights after misdemeanor stalking convictions, making the consequences for this behavior much more serious at the federal level.