AB 2534: Domestic Violence Prevention Act: forced marriage.

This bill aims to prevent forced marriage by adding it to the domestic violence prevention act. It defines "forced marriage" as a spousal relationship where one or both parties are compelled to enter, attempt to enter, or maintain a marriage without consent. The bill would make coercive control, including interfering with court proceedings, a form of disturbing the peace of the other party. Courts can issue protective orders upon reasonable proof of prior instances of forced marriage or a credible risk of a future forced marriage. The law would be liberally construed to prevent forced marriage and related coercive conduct. Violating a protective order is punishable as a crime, expanding the bases for the issuance of these orders.