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Domestic violence law honors 4-year-old Florida boy killed by father

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Senate Bill 130, known as Greyson's Law, was signed into law by Governor DeSantis on Wednesday.

The bill, introduced by Senator Lori Berman (D-Boca Raton) and Representative Hillary Cassel (D-Dania Beach), requires family courts to consider certain factors when deciding if shared parental custody is harmful to a child. It calls for additional conduct regarding domestic, violence which the court must consider when ordering a parenting plan, and when determining whether a petitioner of a domestic violence injunction is in imminent danger.

The law is named after 4-year-old Greyson Kessler, who was killed by his father in Fort Lauderdale in a murder-suicide in 2021.

Greyson's mother, Ali Kessler, filed contempt motions, requests to change the time-sharing and asked for a psychological evaluation on Greyson's father before her son was killed.

In May of 2021, just days before Greyson's death, Kessler filed for a stalking injunction and a domestic violence injunction. The domestic violence injunction was denied by a judge.

"I really wish something like this existed when I was seeking help," Ali Kessler said. "But if this can help even just one child, then it’s worth the fight.