TOPEKA, Kan. - Curt and Christie Brungardt, parents of the late Jana Mackey, applaud Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson for signing a new domestic violence law today in Topeka. Mackey was a 25-year-old law student who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in Lawrence in 2008. "We are very pleased with the actions of our legislature and Governor in addressing this serious issue," said Christie Brungardt. "While we recognize that this new legislation alone will not stop domestic violence, we do believe that it is an important step in the right direction."
Originally recommended by the Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, this bill is recognized as the most comprehensive domestic violence legislation ever passed in Kansas. This law will assist the criminal justice system in documenting crimes associated with domestic violence and track repeated offenders. The legislation also requires the courts to order assessment of the offender and recommend intervention treatment programs.
Active supporters of this legislation, Jana's mother and stepfather, both professors at Fort Hays State University, are committed to continuing Jana's work of protecting women. Mackey was well known throughout Kansas for her advocacy for women's rights. As a young adult, Mackey served as a sexual assault and domestic violence advocate and served as one of the youngest lobbyists at the Kansas state capitol for the National Organization for Women.
"Our role with this legislation was to give a face to domestic violence, to show that there are real people behind the statistics," says Christie Brungardt.
This last year, the Brungardts started a non-profit organization, Jana's Campaign to Stop Domestic Violence. "We believe it is our personal responsibility to use the story of Jana's life and the story of her death to help reduce violence against women," Curt Brungardt said. "It is our deep desire to turn this tragedy into something positive." The campaign's goal is to promote new and effective legislation that will secure safety and justice for victims of domestic violence.
The Brungardts would also like to thank all those who played a major role in making this day possible. That includes the original architects of the bill, former Attorney General Bob Stephan and Juliene Maska of the Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board, Attorney General Steve Six and his staff, the leadership of both the Kansas House and Senate, the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence, the Kansas Department of Corrections, the law enforcement community, the Kansas Chapter of the National Organization for Women, and all Jana's Campaign advocates and supporters.
"While we are happy with this legislation, we ask our policymakers to use this momentum to encourage even further action on this important issue. Until this troubling trend of domestic violence is reversed, lawmakers cannot be satisfied," Curt Brungardt said. "Twenty years ago, Kansas and many other states were determined to reduce drunk driving injuries and fatalities. They passed multiple laws that made our streets safer. We believe that it is time for a similar effort in developing policy to reduce domestic violence and make our homes safer."
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