GPS Monitoring & Victim Notification Laws

How States Are Expanding Domestic Violence Response

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are taking a closer look at how courts, lawmakers, and supervision agencies are using supervision technology to strengthen victim safety and support domestic violence response.

A protection order establishes legal boundaries. GPS monitoring can help supervising agencies determine whether a monitored individual is complying with location-based restrictions. . But, domestic violence cases often reveal a difficult reality—a protective order on paper does not always stop an offender from attempting to contact, stalking a victim, or violating court-imposed restrictions.

Across the country, lawmakers are examining how electronic monitoring, exclusion zones, victim notification, and other supervision technology can work together in domestic violence cases. The approaches vary by jurisdiction. Some laws specifically incorporate victim notification technology. Others expand the use of electronic monitoring without creating the same victim facing notification requirements.

Understanding those differences matter for courts, law enforcement, supervision agencies, service providers, victim advocates, and communities evaluating how supervision technology fits within a broader victim safety strategy

What Is Electronic Monitoring With Victim Notification?

GPS monitoring provides location information about an individual under supervision. Depending on the program, supervising personnel can use that information to monitor court-ordered restrictions, including whether someone enters or leaves designated geographic areas.

Electronic monitoring with victim notification technology (EMVNT) adds another layer.

The technology can provide information to a protected person when defined proximity conditions are met, giving the victim greater awareness that the monitored individual may be approaching.

It is important to know that victim notification technology can provide additional awareness. It does not guarantee safety or replace protection orders, victim advocacy, safety planning, supervision, or law enforcement response.

Washington: The Tiffany Hill Act

Washington enacted the Tiffany Hill Act in 2020 following the death of Tiffany Hill.

The law established a framework for electronic monitoring with victim notification technology. The state also requires informational materials for people seeking protection orders when electronic monitoring with victim notification technology is available.

Those materials must explain:

·       The technology being used

·       Requirements for accessing it

·       Limitations on how the technology may or may not assist in maintaining the safety of the victim and the victim's family

·       How the individual can request the technology from the court

Washington has since gone further by requiring model standards and protocols for the operation of electronic monitoring with victim notification technology, including guidance for monitoring agencies, courts, law enforcement, and other practitioners.

That combination is significant because Washington's approach addresses more than simply placing a GPS device on a monitored individual. It also addresses how the technology is implemented, how information reaches the protected person, and how agencies respond when an event occurs.

Tennessee: The Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act

In 2024, Tennessee enacted the Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act, legislation inspired by another devastating domestic violence tragedy.

The law requires GPS monitoring in certain aggravated domestic violence cases and requires systems capable of notifying victims when an offender comes within a prescribed proximity. It also requires monitoring providers to notify designated law enforcement personnel when violations occur. The legislation also expanded circumstances in which courts must order GPS monitoring, subject to the requirements established in state law.

For agencies evaluating victim notification programs, Tennessee demonstrates the difference between simply collecting location data and connecting that information to direct victim awareness.

Pilot Programs Expanding Across the Country

Other states are exploring how GPS monitoring and victim notification can enhance victim safety.

New Jersey

New Jersey has advanced legislation establishing a domestic violence electronic monitoring and victim notification pilot program. The initiative is designed to test technology that can alert both victims and authorities when monitored offenders violate distance restrictions or attempt to enter prohibited areas. The pilot was developed as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen protections for domestic violence victims.

Florida

Florida took a different approach in 2026. The state established two electronic monitoring pilot programs focused on domestic violence and violations of protective injunctions.

A misdemeanor pilot program operates in Pinellas County from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. Under qualifying circumstances, courts may order electronic monitoring as a condition of probation. Courts must order electronic monitoring when the statutory requirements are met and the court finds clear and convincing evidence that the defendant poses a threat of violence or physical harm to the victim.

Florida also established a felony pilot program within the Sixth Judicial Circuit during the same period.

A National Trend

Although the approaches vary by jurisdiction, the goal is consistent: providing victims with greater awareness and creating opportunities for earlier intervention when court-ordered restrictions are violated. As these programs continue to evolve, they reflect a growing recognition that victim safety is strengthened when technology, supervision, law enforcement, and victim advocacy work together.

GPS Monitoring & Victim Notification Solve Different Problems

The terms are sometimes used together, but the capabilities are distinct.

GPS monitoring provides location information about an individual under supervision.

Fixed exclusion zones can help agencies monitor whether the individual enters a prohibited geographic location, such as a residence, workplace, school, or other designated location.

Victim notification can provide information directly to the victim when defined proximity conditions occur.

Moving victim zones can allow proximity monitoring to follow the victim rather than remain limited to a fixed address.

Together, these are examples of how supervision technology can provide different layers of information to different people involved in a domestic violence supervision program. But simply requiring electronic monitoring does not automatically mean a program includes victim notification.

For agencies evaluating legislation or building a domestic violence monitoring program, ask the question: Who receives information when the monitored individual gets too close?

What Should Agencies Consider When Building a Victim Notification Program?

Legislation establishes legal authority and program requirements. The day-to-day effectiveness of the program depends on how those requirements are implemented.

Courts, agencies, and service providers should consider several operational questions.

What triggers an alert?

Programs need clear rules around exclusion zones, proximity thresholds, schedules, and other monitoring conditions. A notification should correspond with defined program requirements rather than simply generating more alerts.

Who receives the information?

Depending on the jurisdiction and program design, information may be provided to supervising personnel, law enforcement, monitoring centers, the victim, or multiple parties.

What happens when an alert is generated?

Supervision technology can identify and communicate an event. It cannot determine the agency's response.

Programs need procedures for reviewing information, contacting appropriate personnel, communicating with victims, documenting events, and escalating potential violations.

How are victims educated about supervision technology?

Victims should understand what the technology does, what it does not do, what types of notifications they may receive, and what actions they should take if an alert occurs. Washington's law specifically requires information about the limitations of victim notification technology, reinforcing the importance of setting appropriate expectations.

How does victim notification fit into the broader safety plan?

Electronic monitoring and victim notification should be considered components of a larger strategy that can include court orders, victim advocacy, supervision, law enforcement response, and individualized safety planning.

Supervision technology provides information. The surrounding program determines how that information is used.

Why Victim Notification Is Becoming Part of the Legislative Conversation

Electronic monitoring has traditionally centered on the person being supervised. Victim notification introduces another consideration: how location information can also provide awareness to the person the court is seeking to support.

For courts, policymakers, supervision agencies, law enforcement, service providers, and victim advocates, the opportunity is not simply to ask whether GPS monitoring should be used. The more useful questions are:

What information does the supervision technology provide?

Who receives that information?

How quickly can they act on it?

What policies and response protocols need to be in place before an alert ever occurs?

Those questions move the conversation beyond monitoring devices and toward building stronger, more coordinated domestic violence supervision programs.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is an opportunity to recognize survivors and victims, but also to examine the systems, policies, and supervision technology being used to support them. As legislation continues to evolve, understanding the difference between GPS monitoring and GPS monitoring with victim notification will become increasingly important for communities evaluating how to strengthen domestic violence response.