People arrested for aggravated domestic violence in Tennessee will now have to wear a GPS monitoring device until their court date. The victim would be provided with a device that would notify them if their abuser is within a certain distance.
That’s because of the Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act, HB 2692, which was recently passed by the state legislature.
The new law is named for Marie Varsos and her mother, Debbie Sisco. On April 12, 2021, both women were murdered by Marie’s estranged husband after he was arrested — and then almost immediately released — for strangling her until she lost consciousness. He waited outside their home for 45 minutes in a rental car stocked with guns, a taser and zip ties.
Alex Youn, Marie’s brother and Debbie’s son, has been advocating for this bill for over two years. He said he believes this measure could have saved his family members’ lives.
“In spite of my grief, I’ve pushed forward because I believe this measure would have added an additional shield of protection for my mom and sister,” he said on social media. “While this legislative milestone is bittersweet without them, I am hopeful this bill will save lives.”
The bill passed with broad bipartisan support in both the Tennessee House and Senate.
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