A bill recently passed by the Texas House of Representatives would created a domestic violence registry in an effort to reduce the number of recurring domestic violence offenses in the state.

House Bill 21 creates a registry for domestic violent offenders similar to the registry for sex offenders. The two state lawmakers who co-authored the bill say the proposal for an online database stems from the rise in domestic violence crimes, and in particular those that end in homicide by repeat offenders.

In 2011, there were nearly 178,000 family violence incidents reported. Of those incidents, 142 women were killed.

The proposed registry would hold names, pictures and list of offenses for offenders convicted of three or more domestic violence crimes.

“What we have found is that those individuals that have been convicted three times or more are very likely to commit, or continue to commit these crimes unless they are stopped,” said state Rep. Jason Villalba, one of the bill’s co-authors.

An amendment added to HB 21 would stipulate that the database also hold information for resources, agencies and nonprofits that address domestic violence issues to help victims and to curtail offenses.

If you’ve been charged with a domestic violence offense, hiring an experienced attorney is critical. The Houston domestic violence lawyers at Ricardo N. Gonzalez & Associates represent people who have been charged with family violence crimes.