In the "Simple Things to Make People's Lives Easier" file goes this initiative from Minnesota Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer:
Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer is proposing a new state program that would help victims of domestic violence protect their addresses from their attackers.
Under the program, Kiffmeyer's office would establish an official mailing address where recipients would receive all their first-class mail. It would then be privately forwarded to their places of residence.
Kiffmeyer says it'll help victims of domestic violence establish more stable homes and not be forced to move because their attackers discover where they live.
Lawmakers from both parties are supporting Kiffmeyer's bill. Though it comes too late in the session to be introduced as a separate bill, Kiffmeyer says she will seek to make it part of an overall public safety spending bill.
She says it'll only cost about $180,000.
Part of me is wondering what about this program would cost that much, is domestic violence such a widespread problem that it costs $180,000 to re-route victims mail? Then you look at statistics from reports like these which show that there were 13,145 Domestic Abuse Orders For Protection Filings in Minnesota in 2003 alone. So yeah, maybe it is that widespread a problem. In any case, it looks like a great program and one that's easy to implement and save people the terror of being found by their abusive ex-partners.