A South Dakota legislative panel has recommended broadening the state's domestic abuse law so it would cover dating couples who don't live together.
The Domestic Abuse Study Committee is recommending that the definition of domestic abuse be changed to specify in more detail who is entitled to protection from an abuser.
Current law does not cover dating couples who live in separate places, but the proposal approved by the panel would cover people who are in or have been in a significant romantic relationship.
The committee also endorsed a measure that would create an additional crime if someone commits domestic abuse in the presence of a child.
The panel's recommendations will be submitted for consideration by the legislative session that opens in January.
